Clean Slate
by huddysmyvicodin
Summary: After William and Holland leave, Rufus and Lily offer each other a clean slate in their marriage. Will it work? And when something changes, will they be able to stick by each other? This story takes place at the end of season three and is my first attempt at a Rufus/Lily fic. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I just recently started watching **_**Gossip Girl **_**and fell in love with Lily and Rufus, they are so cute together. This story takes place around season 3 after all the William and Holland drama. I have only watched up to there, so I don't know what happens in later seasons. I hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with **_**Gossip Girl, **_**please don't sue me! All I can give you is my crappy car and the two bucks in my wallet.**

_A clean slate. _That is what they wanted, no _needed_. No more secrets, lies or hidden agendas. No more William or Holland and most importantly, no cancer. She thought they were done; certainly he wouldn't stick around after all she put him through. She forgets sometimes that he is different from all of her other husbands. He actually loves her enough to stay, to work through their issues together as a couple. They have loved each other for over twenty years and as he told her once, those years count for everything.

Lily Humphrey wakes up enclosed in the arms of her husband Rufus. She looks over at the alarm clock sitting on the bedside table and is disappointed to see that it is only 7 in the morning. With all the…ahem…activities her and Rufus were doing last night, she thought that she would wake up later. She turns slightly to face her husband who is still fast asleep and gives him a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you for giving me a second chance," Lily whispers to him. Rufus stirs a little bit and tightens his grip on her. Lily can hear the kids downstairs talking to each other over coffee and has the urge to join them. She gently untangles herself from Rufus and heads for the door. About halfway downstairs, Lily feels a wave of nausea crash over her. She runs back into her and Rufus' bedroom holding a hand over her mouth. Lily bends over the toilet and empties her stomach contents.

Ever since Lily left, Rufus has had a hard time falling asleep. He rolls over on his side and faces the wall. Suddenly, he hears their bedroom and bathroom door slam against the wall and a weird sound coming from the bathroom. _Is that someone…throwing up? _He slowly opens his eyes and rolls back over to get a look into the bathroom. He sees the back of his wife's blonde head hovering over the toilet. Rufus lurches the covers off of him and runs into the bathroom.

"Lil? Are you okay?" Rufus says with concern and rubs his wife's back. Lily dry heaves a few more times and leans against the bathtub, trying to catch her breath.

"Water," Lily croaks and makes a weak attempt to point to the sink. Rufus grabs a cup off the counter, fills it with water and hands it to her. She takes a few sips and wipes the sweat off of her forehead.

"That is the last time we are ordering Thai food I guess," Rufus jokes. Lily manages a small smile and sighs.

"At least you didn't get sick," Lily says and throws up again. Rufus feels her forehead,

"You don't have a fever, it's probably mild food poisoning," he diagnoses.

"Great, we had the same thing, how could you not be sick?" Lily asks and puts a hand to her forehead, confirming that she isn't warm.

"My digestive system hasn't rebelled yet I guess," Rufus says. Lily smiles and they sit in silence for a few more minutes, waiting to see if she is going to throw up again.

"Hmm…I think I am okay, I am still a little queasy but I don't have to throw up anymore." Lily says. Rufus stands up first and offers his hand for her to take. Lily, with Rufus' help, stands up slowly and looks into the mirror.

"Oh god, I look awful. I am going to take a shower. If the kids are still here will you tell them that I say goodbye?" Lily asks. Rufus laughs, only his wife would comment on her appearance, even though she just got done throwing up.

"Sure Lil, I'm going to go make us some breakfast," Rufus kisses her cheek and leaves her to shower.

Twenty minutes later, Lily comes downstairs feeling refreshed.

"I figured that after you were throwing up, you wouldn't want any waffles. So I made you some oatmeal," Rufus says from behind the counter and points to a bowl next to him.

"Thank you," Lily grabs it and sits down at the small dining table. Rufus finishes making his waffles and sets them on a plate.

"Oh Rufus, I forgot to grab something to drink. Can you get me some apple juice?" Lily asks as Rufus gathers the butter and syrup to take to the table.

"Apple juice? Are you sure you are feeling alright Lil? I have never heard you ask for apple juice ever, I don't even think we have any." Lily takes a bite of her oatmeal and shoots Rufus her trademark look.

"Aside from feeling as if I am about to throw up at any second I feel fantastic. Could you at least check for me?" Lily gives Rufus the puppy dog look she knows he can't resist.

"Fine, don't take any of my waffles," Rufus grumbles and gets up to look in the fridge.

"Thank you darling," Lily says sweetly.

"Sorry Lil, no apple juice. We will have to get some the next time we go out." Rufus says and rejoins her at the table with two glasses of milk.

"Milk is a nice substitute though," Lily says and takes the glass from him.

"So, what is the plan today on the Upper East Side? A debutante ball? Society gala? Charity function?" Rufus asks. Lily glares at him and takes another sip of milk.

"I have a quick meeting with Charles and then I want to get a dress for Eleanor's Christmas party. What about you?"

"I am not sure yet," Rufus says nonchalantly.

"Well that sounds fun,"

"At least it's better than a meeting with Chuck,"

"He's not that bad,"

"He seems to have a soft spot for you, Lil"

"Charles is a nice young man once you get to know him. Anyway, I should go get dressed. Can I count on you for dinner tonight?" Lily asks.

"Are you sure you are going to be able to eat?" Rufus asks.

"Good point. We will have to see, I'll call you later?" Lily asks.

"Okay," Rufus says and gives her a kiss on the lips. Lily heads upstairs to get dressed and then quickly heads out.

During her meeting with Chuck, Lily couldn't get rid of this nagging feeling that something wasn't right. As much as she wanted to pin her recent symptoms on food poisoning, it just didn't add up. After all, she and Rufus both ate out of the same containers and he isn't showing any signs of sickness. And what the hell was with the apple juice this morning? She hasn't wanted apple juice since…_Oh god! Oh no! Oh shit! Could I be? _

"Lily are you okay?" Chuck asks after noticing the faraway look in his adoptive mother's eyes. Lily breaks out of her gaze and paints on a smile for Chuck.

"Yes Charles, I am just tired. Is everything settled for the board?" Lily asks, trying to return to business.

"Yeah, they should be happy with the numbers," Chuck says. Lily grabs her purse and jacket off of the chair and stands up.

"Great, I have to go, but it was nice seeing you. Take care Charles," Lily hugs and kisses him on the cheek. Chuck gives her a suspicious look, but hugs her back anyway.

"You too, get some sleep," Lily heads out of Butter and into an awaiting car.

"Where to Mrs. Humphrey?" The driver asks.

"Take me to a pharmacy by the penthouse please," Lily commands. The driver does as he is told and twenty minutes later they pull up to a corner pharmacy.

"Thank you, I should be back in just a minute," Lily says and gets out of the car. She sneaks into the pharmacy, praying that she doesn't run into anyone she knows. The last thing she needs is this being the latest _Gossip Girl _blast and her family questioning her. Making sure that the coast is clear; Lily quickly pays for the test and gets back into the car.

Arriving back at the penthouse, Lily yells out her husband's name to no response. She spots a note on the counter and is happy for once that Rufus isn't home.

_Lil,_

_ I went to grab some lunch with Dan. I will be back in an hour or so._

_ Love,_

_ Rufus_

Lily decides that she needs to do this sooner rather than later. The quicker she gets it done, the quicker she can digest the results. Clutching the bag firmly in her hand, Lily walks up the stairs towards the master bathroom with a newfound determination. She takes the test, sets the timer for three minutes and waits. Lily paces, checks the timer, frowns and then paces again. Who knew three minutes would take so long? Finally, the timer beeps and Lily runs over to check the test on the counter. There it is that damn pink plus sign, a cross for her to bear.

"What the hell am I going to do?" Lily whispers to herself and sits down on the bathroom floor. She has no idea how Rufus is going to feel about this. A baby at their age? With six kids between the two of them, all of which are teenagers, Lily can't imagine raising a baby all over again. Unfortunately, there is no getting out of this situation. _Should I tell Rufus? _Lily asks herself. Of course as part of their clean slate agreement, they promised that they would be upfront and honest with each other. Obviously Lily can't hide it forever, but should she tell Rufus right away? And how would she tell him?

Should she just bring it up casually in conversation or do some grand romantic gesture? More importantly, how will Rufus take this news? Lily didn't give him the option twenty years ago with Scott, but Rufus wasn't her husband then. Knowing Rufus he probably is worrying about her right now. From the bathroom, Lily hears the elevator ding open. It has to be Rufus; no one else would just come in the middle of the day.

"Lil?" Rufus yells as he spots her Prada bag and burgundy jacket strewn about on the couch. Lily stands up and places the test in the bottom drawer of the vanity. _ I will tell him, just not yet, _Lily says in her mind as she looks herself in the mirror. She walks out of their master bedroom and spots Rufus sitting on the couch.

"Hello darling…" Lily says as she walks down the stairs.

**A/N 2: That's it for now. Let me know if you want more by reviewing my story! I hope I got all the details right, sometimes I forget a few things. Thank you for reading. **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you so much for all the reviews, I really appreciate them. I admit that I don't really have a plan for this story, I am kind of going chapter by chapter. If anyone has a suggestion or an idea, please give me a review. Please enjoy chapter two.**

**Chapter Two**

_"Lil?" Rufus yells as he spots her Prada bag and burgundy jacket strewn about on the couch. Lily stands up and places the test in the bottom drawer of the vanity. I will tell him, just not yet, Lily says in her mind as she looks herself in the mirror. She walks out of their master bedroom and spots Rufus sitting on the couch._

_ "Hello darling…" Lily says as she walks down the stairs._

Lily takes a seat next to Rufus on the couch.

"Why are you home so early? I thought you were going shopping after your meeting with Chuck," Rufus says, his voice marred with concern.

"Oh, I still have a lot of time to pick out a dress for Eleanor's." Rufus' eyebrows shoot up,

"I am shocked Lil, I have never known you to pass on shopping. Did something happen in your meeting with Chuck?" Lily puts a hand on his arm as a soothing gesture,

"Nothing like that, Charles doesn't scare me as much as he does you. I am just not feeling very well today."

"I understand why don't you take a nap? When you wake up, we can get some dinner if you like." Rufus suggests.

"Alright, why don't you join me?"

"Lil, you and I both know that if I go upstairs with you, you won't get any sleep." Rufus says.

"Fine," Lily fake pouts and walks past Rufus. Rufus slips his arm around her waist and pulls her back down on the couch.

"When you feel better, I promise that we will 'nap' together," Rufus whispers in her ear and nibbles at her earlobe. Lily instinctively moans and gives Rufus a passionate kiss.

"That's what you are missing," Lily whispers back and walks up the stairs with confidence that she succeeded in arousing her husband. However, the confidence switches over to guilt as Lily climbs into bed. _I should have told him right then_, Lily mentally admonishes herself. _The longer I wait, the madder he is going to be. _Lily tosses and turns in bed, feeling frustrated that sleep will not come. Irritated, Lily lays flat on her back and stares at the ceiling hoping she will come up with a good plan. She doesn't want it to be cheesy, but she still wants it to be special.

"I've got it!" Lily says to herself and then blushes, feeling silly that she is talking to herself. _I will make Rufus his favorite dinner tomorrow and just tell him. Wait, I can't cook, I will _order_ Rufus his favorite food. _Lily wants to tell him before the kids come home on Friday in order to give him time to take in her news. Satisfied with her decision, Lily rolls over and falls into a slumber.

Rufus hasn't moved from his seat on the couch since Lily went upstairs. He is very apprehensive about his wife's behavior. The last time she was acting like this was the cancer scare. With all of that behind them, Rufus is determined to keep making progress in their marriage. Rufus sighs and stands up, tripping over Lily's purse in the process. That strikes Rufus as odd, Lily would never leave her Prada bag and Gucci pea coat on the floor, she always hangs them up. He scoops up the items and hears a crunching sound coming from the coat. Rufus digs through the pockets and pulls out a receipt.

"Palace Pharmacy," Rufus reads aloud and scans the receipt which says it is for a household item bought an hour ago. Rufus feels silly for being suspicious of a receipt, it could be for shampoo and he could be freaking out over nothing. However, based on Lily's behavior today his gut instinct is telling him that Lily wasn't interested in shampoo. Rufus is stuck, should he trust his wife who has lied to him constantly or should he just find his own answers? He knows that he must proceed carefully; Lily will get mad if she finds him snooping. _She is sleeping right now… _Rufus thinks to himself and shoves the receipt into his pocket.

Quickly and quietly, Rufus heads into the master bedroom. Luckily Lily is a pretty heavy sleeper, so he can sneak into the bathroom with ease. Rufus checks the shower, medicine cabinet and cleaning supplies, coming up with nothing. He starts to feel wrong about going through Lily's stuff, but chooses to search through her drawers. Rufus goes through each one swiftly, finding nothing until the last one. He pulls the drawer open and pulls out an open pregnancy test box. With shaking hands, Rufus pulls out the test, almost dropping it when he sees the plus sign.

"Oh my god," Rufus whispers and puts the test back into the box. Rufus puts the box back in the drawer and shuts it. He stands rooted to the spot, unsure of what to do next. He is one part mad, one part petrified and one part ecstatic. The only thing Rufus is sure of is that he needs to think before Lily wakes up. He sneaks out of the bedroom, grabs his coat and heads out on a walk.

Two hours later, Lily awakens, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She pushes the covers off of her and walks downstairs. Rufus seems to be deep into whatever he is reading.

"What are you reading?" Lily asks as she plops down next to him on the couch.

"Something Dan gave me, I don't really understand it though. How was your nap?" Rufus asks and puts the book down on the coffee table.

"I feel re-energized, you give good advice Humphrey." Rufus winks at her and moves closer towards Lily so he can wrap an around her.

"Are you up for dinner?" Rufus asks.

"Yeah, something light though; I don't want to overdo it."

"How about a salad for you from that pizza place I love?" Rufus asks.

"That sounds great," Lily says and kisses him on the cheek. Rufus picks the phone off of the cradle and orders the food.

"It should be here in about twenty minutes," Rufus says after hanging up.

"Is Jenny going to be joining us?" Lily asks.

"No, she texted me while you were sleeping and says that she is at a friend's house. Hopefully she is there because I really don't feel like chasing her all over New York." Lily nods sympathetically, having been through it with Serena.

"Jenny knows that she is on thin ice right now after the stunts she has pulled, I think she is smart enough to know when she has pushed you too far."

"I agree and on the bright side, it's just me and you tonight." Rufus wags his eyebrows mischievously. Lily lightly swats at him,

"Let me see how I feel first before I make any promises." Rufus pretends to sulk. The pair talk back and forth while they are waiting for the food to arrive. Around five, Vanya calls saying that the deliveryman is waiting in the lobby.

"I'll go get it. Can you get drinks?" Rufus asks Lily.

"Sure, do you have money?" Lily asks and looks around for her purse.

"I got it, Lil. I'll be right back," Rufus says and leaves before Lily can ask where her bag went. Lily brushes it off and heads to the fridge. She grabs a beer for Rufus and a sparkling water for herself.

"I made dinner!" Rufus announces as he steps off the elevator. Lily rolls her eyes and takes a sip of her water. Rufus hands her the bag containing the salad and puts the pizza box on the table.

"Where's the champagne Lil?" Rufus asks, noting her drink choice.

"Alcohol doesn't really taste good with a salad," Lily lies wanting nothing more than a glass of wine or champagne right now. _Uh huh, _Rufus thinks to himself, not buying Lily's deception for a second.

"How did lunch with Daniel go?" Lily asks, switching the subject.

"Good, he seems to really like NYU. He says that he is glad that he went there because of the English program."

"That's great! Is he still coming here this weekend?" Lily asks.

"I think so, is Serena?"

"You never know with Serena. Ever since she decided not to go to Brown, I haven't been able to keep track of her. I will call her tomorrow and see what her plans are for the weekend."

Rufus and Lily fall into a comfortable silence, both finishing up their dinner. Rufus is becoming more irritated that Lily hasn't told him about the test yet. Why is she hiding this? There has to be a good reason, but he doesn't want to wait forever to find out. Rufus comes to the conclusion that it's just best to confront her with the truth.

"I found the test," Rufus says and looks up to gage Lily's reaction. Not surprisingly, Lily freezes and her eyes widen.

"How did you find it?" Lily asks.

"I was hanging up your jacket and found a receipt. Lily, how could you hide this from me?" Lily drops her fork and rubs her eyes.

"I was going to tell you…" Rufus cuts her off,

"When? Lily, I don't get why you feel the need to hide things from me. I am your husband and our marriage won't survive if you just keep hiding important things from me." Lily flinches and bites her lip.

"I was going to tell you over a romantic dinner tomorrow," Lily says softly. Rufus sighs,

"Lil I'm sorry for not trusting you," Rufus puts his hand over hers. Lily manages a small smile,

"It's okay I know I haven't been the most honest person lately, you had every reason not to trust me." Lily puts her other hand over his letting him know that she forgives her.

"I feel bad about ruining your surprise," Rufus admits.

"I am kind of glad you did, I really didn't want to cook,"

"Lil, I know you better than that. What were you going to order for me?" Lily shoots him a perfect "Rufus" look,

"I was actually going to attempt to make waffles and have Salute's on standby in case something went wrong."

"To make it up to you, I will make you some waffles tomorrow if your stomach is okay." Lily brushes a hand over her abdomen,

"We will definitely have to see about that. Are you sure you okay with this? You haven't said anything about it," Lily says, afraid of his response.

"I admit that I am scared, but really excited at the same time. We are going to have a baby Lil!" Rufus leans over and kisses her.

"I am terrified about having another baby. I haven't been around an infant since Eric and that was a long time ago. What if I don't remember how?" Lily asks with fear evident in her voice.

"Trust me, you will remember. If not, then we are allowed to make a few mistakes. The baby won't know the difference."

"Before we get too invested, I am not one hundred percent sure that I am pregnant yet, the test I took could be a false positive. I should schedule an appointment with an OB/GYN as soon as possible." Lily tells him.

"Of course, just let me know when and I will be there,"

"Okay…" Rufus can tell that Lily is still very uneasy about the prospect of having another baby.

"Lil, we are going to be fine, even if it turns out to be a false alarm."

"I don't think it is,"

"Then we will be parents…again," Rufus caresses her cheek and gives her a kiss to reassure her that he is there.

"I am glad that you are taking this so well because I'm not." Rufus has to confess, seeing Lily frazzled for once is kind of nice. She is always so sure of herself and in control never allowing fear to get in her way. Although Rufus loves this quality in her, sometimes it's necessary to be reminded that Lily is only human.

"Let's go watch a movie and clear our heads for a little bit. Tomorrow we can schedule an appointment and see where we are at," Rufus says, taking control of the situation.

"I couldn't agree with that plan more," Lily and Rufus clean up their dinner and go to their bedroom.

"What do you want to watch?" Rufus asks.

"How about a comedy?" Lily suggests and slides into her side of the bed. Rufus follows suit and clicks on _The Hangover Part II._

"Good choice," Lily says.

"Come here," Rufus holds out his arm for Lily. Lily moves closer to Rufus allowing his arm to envelop her. As the movie progresses, Lily can feel Rufus tracing his finger along the contours of her flat stomach. Finally, his hand rests comfortably on her abdomen where it remains until the movie is over.

"I love you," Lily whispers to Rufus.

"Love you too Lil," Rufus throws back and kisses her.

"Thank you for not running out on me,"

"Are you kidding? I got nowhere else to go," Lily punches his arm and rests her head on her pillow. She can feel Rufus hand slip under the covers inching closer towards her.

"Not tonight," Lily says and stops his hand from going any further.

"Damn it," Rufus grumbles and shakes his head at Lily.

"Goodnight Rufus,"

"Night Lil," Rufus says and wraps his arms around her.

**A/N 2: That's the second chapter. Next chapter is their first appointment and breaking the news to the kids. It's not as simple as it sounds, I promise. Reviews help a great deal! Thanks for reading. **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Welcome back and thank you for all the reviews you guys have left for me. This story isn't really following any **_**Gossip Girl **_**storyline it's just on its own. I hope you guys like the next chapter. **

**Chapter Three**

The next morning, Lily wakes up feeling the need to hurl _again. _She dashes into the bathroom and throws up. Rufus hears her rush out and he slowly wakes up. He crawls out of bed and joins her in the bathroom.

"Good morning," Lily says as she hunches over the toilet. Rufus chuckles and sits down next to her.

"I am so tired," Lily whispers and dry heaves. Rufus is sympathetic and tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"I know you are," Rufus whispers to her and stands up to get her a glass of water.

"I had some morning sickness with Serena and Eric but it wasn't this bad," Lily says.

"I'm sorry Lil; I don't know what to do. Allison never had morning sickness," Rufus says sheepishly. Lily puts a hand on his shoulder to console him,

"There is nothing to do, but wait it out. Thank you for sitting on the bathroom floor with me and not laughing at me,"

"You are welcome Lil. I think we should schedule an appointment as soon as possible."

"I agree, but I am going to wait until I stop throwing up for the day to call,"

"I think that would be best,"

"I am not looking forward to throwing up everyday for the next few weeks,"

"We can sit together in the bathroom and chat while you throw up," Lily laughs and is reminded of what an amazing husband Rufus is. She can't remember any of her husbands or boyfriends in the past that have shown so much care for her.

"I think it stopped," Lily says and hesitantly backs away from the toilet.

"Good, I am going to make some coffee," Rufus says and leaves her to wash her face. Lily walks downstairs a few minutes later to join Rufus in the kitchen. Lily comes up to Rufus who is holding a coffee mug in his hand. Before anyone says anything, Lily doubles over and throws up all over Rufus. She deeply blushes and frantically looks around for a towel. Rufus glances down at his puke covered pants and can't help but laugh. Lily grabs a towel and furrows her eyebrows.

"I puked on you and you are laughing? Not exactly the reaction I thought you would have." Lily says as she bends down and starts wiping away the puke.

"Lil, don't worry about it, it will wash out." Rufus grabs Lily's arms and pulls her up on her feet.

"I will send it out for dry cleaning. Can you not make coffee for a while? I didn't think that the smell would make me puke," Lily says.

"I guess so, only because you are pregnant with my child," Rufus says and reaches over to unplug the coffee machine.

"Can we have breakfast?" Lily asks and grabs some oatmeal from the pantry.

"Sure, do you want waffles?" Rufus asks.

"No, I think I will just have some oatmeal for now,"

"Give it time, my child will be asking for my delicious waffles soon,"

"Whatever you say Rufus," They make their own breakfast and sit at the table together.

After breakfast, Lily calls her OB.

"Hi, Dr. Cavallari, its Lily Humphrey…Van der Woodsen," Lily says into the phone.

"Oh, hi, how can I help you Lily?"

"I think that I might be pregnant, I was wondering if I could set up an appointment."

"I am booked up for a while, but I can refer you to one of my colleagues, Dr. Sutherland. She comes highly recommended. Do you have a pen?" Lily grabs a pen from the table and writes down the number.

"Okay thanks so much,"

"No problem Lily and congratulations!" They hang up and Lily dials the other doctor.

"Hello this is Dr. Sutherland's office, this is Jessica speaking, and how can I help you?"

"Hi, I would like to set up an appointment as soon as possible,"

"Okay, I have a two or a four o'clock open for today." Lily puts the phone to her shoulder and asks Rufus.

"I will take the two o'clock please," Lily hangs up the phone and sets it down on the table.

"Are we going to tell the kids when they come back tomorrow?" Rufus asks.

"I'm not sure that I can hide my morning sickness."

"They are only going to be home for the weekend we can wait,"

"Why don't we talk about it after the appointment?" Lily suggests. Rufus can tell that Lily isn't opening up to him about something regarding the baby. He hates being stuck between pressuring Lily to let him in or leave her alone.

"I have to go talk to Charles about something. I think I will have to meet you at the doctor." Rufus knows that Lily just needs to be independent and think, but he wishes that her first reaction would be just to talk to him.

"Okay, just text me the address and I will see you there," Lily gives him a quick kiss and heads upstairs to get ready.

Rufus and Lily meet up at the doctor's office separately, trying not to attract any unwanted attention. Lily gets forms from the front desk and takes a seat next to Rufus in the waiting room.

"I don't get the point of filling out these forms when the doctor isn't going to read them," Rufus whispers to Lily as is filling out the forms.

"Rufus stop," Lily whispers back as Rufus tries to take the forms from her. He fills in what he knows about her and hands them back to her.

"Thanks honey," Lily says sarcastically and gets up to hand the forms to the nurse at the reception area.

"Lillian Humphrey," A petite blonde nurse calls. Rufus and Lily stand up and follow the nurse into an exam room. The nurse takes Lily's temperature, blood pressure, blood and does a glucose tolerance test. She excuses herself with the promise that the doctor will be in soon.

"You look nervous," Rufus says to Lily who is fiddling with her necklace.

"I am impatient, not nervous," Lily drops her necklace and sighs. Rufus gets up from his chair and rubs her shoulders.

"Lil, it's going to be fine," Someone knocks on the door and Lily lightly brushes him off. Rufus sits back down in the chair and Lily tells the doctor to come in.

"Hi, I'm Doctor Sutherland," A brunette in her mid thirties says as she is walking in. Rufus introduces himself and Lily.

"So, what brings you in here today, Lily?" Dr. Sutherland asks her.

"I missed my period and have had morning sickness for the past few days."

"Okay, have you taken a pregnancy test?"

"One, and it was positive,"

"How far along do you think you are?" Lily shrugs and looks to Rufus who shakes his head.

"Alright, well let's do an ultrasound to see," Lily nods and the doctor excuses herself and comes back with a sonogram machine.

"This will be uncomfortable for a second," Lily winces in pain and reaches for Rufus' hand. He grabs it and squeezes it.

"Okay, based on the ultrasound you are about five weeks pregnant. You will be due in the middle of July." Dr. Sutherland removes the probe and sits down by the tiny desk in the exam room. Rufus smiles at Lily and Lily smiles, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes. She is timid and Rufus doesn't know why. He knows that she will not say anything about it right now, but he will make a point of it later.

"Alright, I am going to prescribe you a prenatal vitamin that I want you to take every day. Also, you can't lift anything heavy and be as less stressed as possible. I want to see you in about three weeks or so. Please call me if there are any questions." Rufus and Lily shake Dr. Sutherland's hand and leave the office. They are standing outside of the office waiting for the driver when someone snaps a picture of them and slips away unnoticed.

Serena, Jenny, Scott, Chuck and Dan's cell phones all beep in different locations around the east coast. They all flip their phones open and see that it is another infamous _Gossip Girl _blast.

**Spotted: Mr. and Mrs. Lonely Boy leaving the doctor's office together. Now why would they being that? Are our favorite mismatched couple going to couples counseling? Watch out Serena, Rufus could be out faster than a Dooney and Bourke bag. Stay put for more details, xoxo.**

Serena squints to see if she can tell any details about the supposed appointment. The only she can confirm is that it is indeed her mother and stepfather standing in front of some office building. Having been on the fence about going to see Rufus and Lily this weekend, Serena decides to go to inquire about the blast. She shakes her head at the carelessness of them; they probably have no idea that they are _Gossip Girl's _latest victim. Don't they know that someone is always watching?

Meanwhile, things were tense on the way back to the penthouse. Lily hasn't said a word about the baby since they left the doctor's office. Rufus doesn't know why she isn't jumping for joy over this news. Okay, so a baby at their age isn't ideal, but it's still something to celebrate. What could possibly be wrong?

Arriving in the penthouse, Lily hangs up her purse and jacket in the closet before she sits on the couch. Rufus joins her and wishes that wrinkle between her eyebrows would go away.

"Why aren't you excited about this baby Lil?" Rufus asks, hoping that she will be more inclined to talk to him now that they are alone.

"I am just wondering if it's worth it for me to have a baby at my age. It's a lot of strain on your body to be pregnant and go through labor."

"Come on Lil, I know you better than that. That is not the main reason you don't want this baby." Lily shakes her head,

"It's silly and you will laugh at me so I think I will keep it to myself." Rufus is like a dog with a bone, he will not let this go.

"I am not letting you off that easily. The kids are going to be here tomorrow and I think that everything should be out in the open between us. What happened to our clean slate agreement?" Lily sighs and bangs her head against the couch. Of course that stupid agreement she made will come back and bite her in the ass, she never should have agreed to it.

"I can't tell you," Lily says simply as if she thinks Rufus is going to accept that answer.

"That means you are embarrassed. Wait a second; is this about your reputation? Are you worried about what people on the Upper East Side will think when you say that you are pregnant with my child?" Lily's eyes get wide and she frantically shakes her head,

"No, Rufus that's not it at all!"

"Then what is it Lil? I am really getting tired of playing guessing games," Rufus needs to break Lily of this habit of keeping everything inside; eventually it's going to tear them apart.

"Alright, I am going to tell you, but you can't laugh or think it's silly," Lily says. She is nervous; she is so far out of her comfort zone it's not even funny. She both hates and appreciates the fact that Rufus tries so hard to get her to let her guard down and let him in.

"I promise Lil, there has to be no secrets between us."

"I am afraid that once I have the baby you will get bored and leave me," Lily says and watches Rufus' reaction. Rufus opens his mouth and then closes it again. He isn't even sure how to respond to that,

"W…Why?" Rufus asks a few seconds later.

"That's what happened with William. After Eric was born things were good for about a month. Then one day I come home from a walk and there was a note on the counter saying he left." Rufus is stunned, he has never heard the real reason how Lily and William's marriage ended. He always assumed that William cheated on her and Lily took the kids and left.

"Lil, I'm not William, I will never leave you. I know that we both messed up with Scott, but we can make it right with this baby." Lily smiles and moves closer to Rufus.

"I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner, I just didn't want you to think less of me."

"Lily, you should know by now that I love you and we can work through our issues together." Lily doesn't respond, instead she kisses him on the lips. Rufus deepens the kiss and wraps an arm around her. Breathless, they break away from the kiss with lust in their eyes.

"Do you want to go upstairs?" Lily whispers to him.

"Are you sure you feel up to it?" Rufus asks.

"Are you 'up' to it?" Lily asks and looks down. Rufus picks her up off the couch and carries her upstairs with Lily laughing the whole way.

"That was amazing," Lily says as she collapses onto the bed. Rufus nods his head in agreement and they both try to catch their breath.

"You okay?" Rufus asks and rubs her belly. Lily nods and smiles at him.

"I was thinking that we should tell the kids tomorrow." Lily says.

"That's what you were thinking about during sex?" Rufus asks in astonishment.

"No, that thought occurred while we were talking downstairs."

"Oh okay, good. I agree that we should tell the kids tomorrow."

"Great, I am kind of nervous about their reactions though. I am guessing that either Serena or Jenny will have the hardest time with the news."

"I am guessing Jenny. Eric and Scott will be happy and I think Dan will base his reaction off of Serena's." Lily takes a deep breath,

"Why do we have so many kids?" Rufus laughs,

"Technically, we only have one…well two."

"No more after this, I mean it."

"Whatever you say Lil,"

"Good, oh and I talked to Charles today. He is leaving the country tomorrow so he can't make dinner."

"Did you tell him?"

"No, I wanted to wait in case he took it the wrong way and spread it all around New York. I would rather the kids hear it from us first then somebody else."

"Okay if that's what you want."

"It is. Now what are we going to have for dinner? I am actually pretty hungry,"

The next day, Eric, Serena, Scott, Dan and Jenny trickle into the penthouse one by one. By five, the dinner that Rufus made and Lily "helped" with is ready to be served. They gather as a family and start eating. Serena looks over at her mother and can tell that she is nervous. Usually, that means that she is about to tell Serena something unpleasant. Serena glances around the table and notices that Jenny is beyond annoyed that she has to be here. She doesn't understand why Jenny is so upset with Lily and Rufus being together, but Serena doesn't really care. She is more concerned with her mother's happiness than Jenny's.

Lily nudges Rufus under the table giving the signal that it's time to tell the kids.

"Everyone, Lily and I have something we would like to tell you…Lily's pregnant!" Rufus says with excitement and watches five faces react in different ways. Predictably, Eric and Scott look happy, Jenny looks pissed, Serena and Dan look confused.

"Pregnant? As in a baby in nine months kind of pregnant?" Serena asks.

"Yes, it was as big of a shock to us too Serena, so it's okay to be confused."

"Mom, I am happy for you, it's just… weird."

"I couldn't agree more," Lily has four out of five kids with her and one against her. Lily doesn't know what she did to Jenny to make her so upset. She honestly tried to be a good step mother to her and it all turned out so wrong. Lily is going to let Rufus handle Jenny since she is theoretically, his child.

"I know this will take getting used to because we are still adjusting. However, it would mean the world to Lil and I that you guys support us because we are doing this." Rufus says, looking directly at Jenny. Jenny rolls her eyes and fights with every fiber in her being to not walk straight out of the penthouse right now.

"Well dad it sounds like you already made up your mind," Jenny says finally.

"Yes we have but it would mean the world to Lil and I if you were on board,"

"I can't give you an answer right now," Jenny says and takes a long sip of her drink. Rufus suppresses the urge to berate her in front of everyone and instead grabs Lily's hand. Lily squeezes it back, knowing how much this is killing him right now.

"Well uh…congrats Lily, dad," Dan says awkwardly and raises his glass.

"Thank you Daniel," Lily says and meets everyone, even Jenny, in a toast. Suddenly, Serena's phone beeps, ending the family moment. Serena checks it and sighs,

"I'm sorry I have to go, it's another Blairmergency. Goodbye everyone," Serena kisses her mother's cheek and heads out.

"Scott, Jenny and I were going to see a movie that is starting soon. Are you ready to go?" Eric asks Jenny who eagerly nods. The three of them leave and Dan is alone with Rufus and Lily.

"I have a big English paper to write so I am going to the library to think. I will be back later. Congrats again," Dan says and quickly heads out.

"We certainly know how to clear a room," Rufus says and looks at the remains of their family dinner.

"That went a lot better than I thought it would. It seems like our kids are really growing up,"

"Except for Jenny," Rufus says solemnly.

"She will come around; I just have to talk to her."

"Lil, you did nothing wrong."

"I know, but Jenny doesn't think that way. I think that we just have to put everything out there for the benefit of our relationship,"

"I couldn't agree more, thank you." Rufus kisses her cheek and starts to pick up the dishes left behind.

"Oh, leave that for the kids, they are old enough to pick up after themselves. I want some ice cream," Lily says.

"You want ice cream?" Rufus asks with surprise, Lily never eats junk food.

"As bizarre as that sounds, I would really appreciate it if you would get me the ice cream in the freezer and a spoon," Lily smiles sweetly at him and points to the freezer.

"Can I grab a spoon for myself?" Rufus asks, not wanting to get in the way of a pregnant woman.

"Only if you promise to let me have the container," Rufus shakes his head and heads to the freezer.

**A/N 2: I hope you liked my third chapter. Also, please excuse any medical mistakes; I am going off the internet which isn't the most reliable sometimes. I would appreciate a review and stay tuned for my next chapter. It's a very special Christmas chapter since I am in the early holiday spirit! Thanks!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Welcome back! Thank you so much for all of your kind reviews, they mean so much. Sorry for the delay, school is getting in the way of my precious writing time. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the latest chapter.**

**Chapter Four**

"I am so happy that the end of the first trimester is only three weeks away," Lily says and sits against the bathtub after yet another morning of throwing up.

"I am going to miss our daily conversations in the bathroom though," Rufus jokes.

"I would rather talk with you outside of this bathroom. Although after spending so much time in here, I think we should redo the bathroom floor. This tile is god awful!" Lily says and takes a sip of water.

"Well Christmas is only a few days away…"

"No offense, but I would rather pay for new tile myself. I want an actual present for Christmas,"

"Don't worry Lil, I already have your Christmas present wrapped and under the tree,"

"I know, Serena told me that she helped you pick it out."

"Serena has a big mouth like her mother,"

"Rufus!" Lily exclaims and playfully swats him on the arm.

"I'm kidding, aren't the kids coming home today?"

"Yeah, they should be here any minute now,"

"I think I am going to take Dan out to lunch today, I barely see him anymore,"

"Good, you should. I think that I am going to take Jenny shopping so we can get our dresses for Eleanor's party."

"Lil, you don't have to,"

"I know, but I am tired of her giving me the cold shoulder. I want a nice family Christmas and that won't happen until Jenny and I talk alone,"

"Thank you," Rufus kisses her on the cheek.

"Of course, now if you would excuse me I would like to look presentable before everyone comes home."

"I could help you shower," Rufus wags his eyebrows up and down mischievously.

"I think we should spare the kids the image of us taking a shower together. Poor Eric still hasn't forgotten about the time he could hear us having sex,"

"You were kind of loud," Rufus teases her and backs away before she can hit him again.

"I was loud? I think that comment was directed at the both of us,"

"Mom? Rufus?" Eric calls from downstairs.

"Go talk to my son, I will be in the shower," Lily says and kisses him. Rufus rolls his eyes and walks downstairs.

"Hi Eric, Scott and Jenny," Rufus says and hugs each of them.

"Where's my mom?" Eric asks.

"She is taking a shower and getting ready. Now does anyone want waffles?" Rufus asks and leads the way to the kitchen.

"Me!" Jenny and Eric say at the same time.

"Scott?" Rufus asks.

"No thanks, I had a bagel on the train," Scott says.

"Okay, can you get the oatmeal out for Lily? She can't stomach waffles yet," Rufus asks Scott who nods and digs through the cabinets.

"She still has morning sickness? I thought that lasted for like a week or two," Eric says.

"So did I," Rufus mumbles and checks his waffles. Rufus notices that Jenny hasn't asked about Lily yet which angers him. _Maybe Lily spending some alone time with Jenny today will bring her around, _Rufus thinks to himself.

"So what are your plans for today?" Rufus asks the three kids.

"Eric and I are meeting Serena and maybe Blair for lunch." Scott explains while sticking the oatmeal in the microwave.

"That sounds fun, Jenny?" Rufus asks, hoping that she didn't have any plans.

"I'm not sure yet, I might go with Eric and Scott." Jenny says as Rufus slides a waffle over to her.

"I think that Lily wanted to take you shopping for Eleanor's Christmas party tonight," Rufus says.

"Dad you know I don't want to go shopping with Lily. It's boring," Jenny complains and takes a bite of her waffle. Rufus isn't naive, he knows boredom isn't the reason Jenny doesn't want to spend the day with Lily.

"Too bad, Lily is really excited to spend some time with you so you are going and you better be nice to her." Rufus says seriously, pointing the spatula at Jenny for dramatic effect.

"Whatever," Jenny mumbles.

"I am meeting Dan for lunch, does anyone know if he is coming to the party tonight?" Rufus asks.

"I think he is going with Vanessa and Serena, but I'm not sure," Eric says as he is eating his waffles.

About halfway through their breakfast, Lily comes downstairs all dressed.

"Here Lil," Rufus says and hands her the bowl of oatmeal.

"Thank you Rufus," Lily says and takes a seat next to him at the table. "It's so good to see you guys, I have missed you," Lily says.

"We missed you too mom, how have you been feeling?" Eric asks.

"Just fine darling, thank you for asking. Jenny, did your dad tell you about shopping?" Lily asks.

"Yeah and its fine, I'll go with you," Jenny says trying to be as civil as possible.

"Wonderful, we can find you the perfect dress for Eleanor's party tonight," Lily says with excitement. Jenny unenthusiastically smiles and finishes her breakfast.

"Can I be excused? I want to unpack a little bit before we go," Jenny explains.

"Sure, we can leave in about a half an hour," Lily tells her.

"Great," Jenny sarcastically whispers and walks into a spare room, slamming the door behind her. Eric's phone beeps and he checks it.

"Oh, that's Serena; she wants us to meet her at the Atlantic Grill at noon,"

"That's fine with me," Scott says as they finish up their breakfast.

A half an hour later, Lily and Jenny leave for Bergdorf's. The ride there is awkward, with Lily trying unsuccessfully to make small talk with Jenny. Jenny gives monosyllabic answers and stares out the window. Finally, Lily purses her lips and gives up, hoping that shopping will melt Jenny's icy exterior.

"Thank you," Lily says as the driver opens the limo door for her. Jenny and Lily step out and walk into Bergdorf's.

Meanwhile in Brooklyn, Rufus and Dan are sitting down at a café, drinking coffee. Their lunch turned into catching up over coffee because Dan wants to get an early start on his paper.

"Hi dad!" Dan says and hugs Rufus.

"Hi son, what's going on?" Rufus asks.

"Not much, where's Jenny? I thought she was coming with us too," Dan inquires and looks at his father questioningly.

"Jenny is shopping with Lily for an outfit for the Christmas thing tonight at Eleanor's," Rufus says. Dan raises his eyebrows in shock,

"Jenny went voluntarily?"

"Not exactly, I kind of forced her to spend time with Lily. She needs to get over whatever is bothering her about Lily since there is a baby coming."

"Well that was very nice of Lily, but Dad, I don't think Jenny is going to talk to her,"

"Why is that Dan?" Rufus asks. Dan blushes,

"I…I…uh…can't tell you, I promised Jenny I wouldn't."Rufus gives his most stern "I am your father" look at Dan who refuses to buckle.

"Fine, you are being a good big brother," Rufus concedes and switches topics.

"I would like to try that one on please," Lily tells a saleslady and points to a navy blue silk one shoulder dress. The blonde saleslady grabs the dress off the hook and sets Lily up in a dressing room. Lily tries on the dress and is disappointed that it is too small around the breasts and the abdomen. There isn't any baby bump yet, but anyone looking at it can tell that it doesn't fit. Lily thought with the morning sickness that she would lose weight, but she forgets that she has been pigging out on junk food for the past few weeks. She pokes her head of the dressing room and asks for the next size up.

Luckily, the second dress fits a lot better and Lily comes out of the dressing room feeling very satisfied. She decides to look for Jenny, although she is expecting that Jenny left her at Bergdorf's. Surprisingly, Lily finds her admiring a strapless bubblegum pink dress.

"Try it on," Lily says and gestures toward the dress.

"Fine," Jenny snatches the dress off the hanger and disappears into a dressing room. Lily bites her lip in frustration and hopes that no one saw Jenny's behavior. She looks around and hears her phone ringing. Lily digs in her purse and sees that it is Rufus calling.

"Hello darling," Lily says and smiles.

"Hi, how's shopping going?" Rufus asks.

"Well…I found a dress that I like and I think Jenny found one that she likes."

"Good, have you two talked?" Rufus crosses his fingers,

"No not yet, I don't know how to get through to her," Lily says and sighs with a mixture of anger and annoyance.

"I know its hard Lil and I love you for trying. If I were you, I would take Jenny to that sushi place she loves after you guys are done shopping."

"Rufus I can't have sushi,"

"Right, I forgot. Take her to Serafina's instead, she loves that place."

"Okay, thanks for the advice,"

"I love you," Rufus says.

"I love you too," Lily says and hangs up right as Jenny is coming out of the dressing room.

"Does it fit?" Lily asks.

"Yeah it does," Jenny says.

"Great, let's get and go. I am starting to get hungry," Lily walks to the cashier with Jenny trudging behind her.

"Buying me a dress isn't going to fix anything," Jenny points out as Lily is paying for the dresses.

"I understand which is why you owe me lunch for buying you this dress," Lily says.

"Fine," Jenny snaps and accepts her bag from the cashier. Lily hands the driver her bag and tells him to take them to Serafina's.

"My dad told you to bring me here didn't he?" Jenny asks as they pull up to the restaurant.

"He might have mentioned how much you like this place the last time we ate here as a family." Lily says and gets out of the limo. Jenny follows her into the crowded restaurant. The pair is given a table and some menus to look over.

"I would like the eggplant ravioli," Lily orders.

"I would like the La Burrata with smoked salmon please," Jenny says and hands the menus over to the waitress.

"So… why are we eating lunch together?" Jenny asks.

"I thought that we could talk just the two of us," Lily says.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"I want to know why you helped William leave and have been giving me the cold shoulder recently," Lily says bluntly.

"I am trying to protect my dad because you constantly go behind his back and lie to him,"

"Look Jenny, I have made many mistakes when it comes to my relationship with your father. I am not proud of it, but we have put it behind us. I think it's time that you should too."

"I want to know that I can trust you, and so far you have done nothing to prove that to me," Jenny says.

"I know that I have a tendency to keep things to myself and cover things up instead of talking about them. I am trying to work on it, and I am so sorry for putting you, Dan and Rufus through that drama. The most important thing is that we are over it now and trying to make progress on our family." Lily says sincerely.

Their moment is interrupted by food being placed on the table. Neither Jenny nor Lily says anything for a few minutes, each concentrating on their food and processing their conversation.

"I don't entirely trust you Lily, but I do trust that you love my dad. I am sorry for being a bitch to you lately and thank you for your apology." Jenny says quietly.

"Thank you and I understand that you thought you were doing the best thing for your father. I would have done the exact same thing in your position." Lily admits.

"So uh…the baby," Jenny begins awkwardly, "do you want a boy or girl?"

"I want a boy because they are a lot easier than raising girls," Lily says. Jenny laughs,

"I think another girl would be better; there are too many boys in this family,"

"Your father feels the same way; I think he wants another girl." Lily says. Lily and Jenny finish up their lunch and head outside.

"Are you coming back with me or going somewhere else?" Lily asks as her car pulls up.

"I think I am going to take a cab to Brooklyn. Vanessa and Dan wanted me to help them with their outfits for the Christmas thing tonight," Jenny explains.

"Okay, I will see you there then," Lily kisses Jenny's cheek and climbs into the limo. Arriving back at the penthouse, Lily finds Rufus alone eating some ice cream.

"Hey, I bought that for me," Lily complains and grabs a spoon out of the drawer.

"No ice cream until you tell me how shopping and lunch with Jenny went," Rufus says and blocks the ice cream from her.

"We had a talk about our relationship and made up. Now, ice cream," Lily says and tries to grab it from Rufus.

"I want to know what the problem was,"

"Jenny thought she was protecting you," Rufus furrows his eyebrows,

"Protecting me? From who?"

"Me," Lily says and sits down on the couch. Rufus joins her and wraps an arm around her.

"She thought she was protecting me from you because of the whole William thing?" Rufus asks in utter confusion.

"Yes and I understand why she would think to do that. Let's face it Rufus, I have been trying to hide things from you so much recently, I think Jenny got scared and didn't know how to act towards me when you and I made up." Rufus takes a moment to consider what Lily is saying.

"Okay, I guess that makes sense. I just wish she would have come to me first instead of treating you poorly,"

"Rufus she is a teenage girl, she isn't going to come to you with every little problem anymore. Trust me, I probably don't know half of what Serena has been up to lately and I don't want to. All we can do is be there for them when they do come to us."

"Well regardless, I am glad the two of you made up. Thank you so much for doing this for me Lil, I know Jenny couldn't have made it easy for you."

"What kind of parents would we be if we didn't do what was best for our children?" Rufus kisses her passionately, but Lily breaks away.

"The kids are going to be back any minute now and I don't want them seeing us making out on the couch like horny teenagers,"

"Should we go upstairs then?" Rufus asks and winks at her.

"I think I am going to take a nap. If you by chance would like to take a nap with me then that would be great," Lily says and walks upstairs. Rufus puts the ice cream back in the freezer and joins her upstairs.

About three hours later, Rufus and Lily start to wake up.

"What time do we have to be at Eleanor's?" Rufus asks groggily.

"Six I think," Lily answers back in the same fashion.

"I don't think Serena, Eric and Scott ever came home," Lily rolls over and reaches for her phone on the bedside table.

"I got a text from Eric saying that they are getting ready at Serena's and will see us there." Lily puts her phone back and looks over at Rufus.

"I guess I should start getting ready," Lily throws the sheets off of her, grabs the dress from the Bergdorf's bag and disappears into the bathroom.

"Lil where's my monkey suit?" Rufus yells into the bathroom.

"It's hanging up in your closet," Lily responds back while putting on her makeup.

"I love you,"

"I know," Rufus laughs and starts getting undressed. Lily walks out of the bathroom an hour later with her hair done in an elegant bun, makeup light, but enough to bring out her best features and wearing the dress she bought earlier.

"What do you think?" Lily asks and puts her hand on her hip.

"You look great Lil," Rufus says and starts kissing her lips, shoulders and neck.

"As much as I would love to, I don't want to have to get ready again," Lily says and backs away slightly from him.

"We can be late to Eleanor's, I'm sure she won't mind," Rufus says and slips one strap off of her shoulder.

"We have plenty of time for that later. Can you get the presents? I have to grab a jacket," Lily asks and doesn't wait for a response from Rufus. Rufus sighs and walks downstairs to the Christmas tree. He grabs Chuck's, Blair's and Eleanor's present and waits for Lily. She comes down wearing her favorite Alice and Olivia black winter coat with a large bowtie in the back.

"Are you ready to go?" Rufus asks.

"Yes," Rufus and Lily head into the limo and arrive at the Waldorf's penthouse. They hand their coats and presents over to a waiter at the door.

"Where should we go first?" Rufus asks her.

"Let's go see if we can find the kids," Lily says and leads the way with Rufus' hand on the small of her back.

"There are Dan and Jenny talking to Vanessa," Rufus says and points to the trio by the Christmas tree.

"Hi Dad, Lily," Dan says and kisses Lily's cheek.

"Hey kids, how's the party?" Rufus asks.

"Good, we haven't seen Blair or Chuck fight yet," Vanessa says.

"The night is still young, give it time," Dan comments.

"We should probably go find Eleanor," Lily says to Rufus.

"Okay," Rufus grabs her hand and navigates through the crowd until they find the hostess.

"Eleanor, you look fantastic," Lily says and kisses her friend on the cheek.

"I like the dress Lily and Rufus you are looking stunning as usual," Eleanor says and kisses Rufus on the cheek. Lily tightens her grip on Rufus' waist and smiles at Eleanor.

"Where are Blair and Charles? I have their Christmas presents," Lily asks and gazes around the room.

"They are in Blair's room giving each other their presents. Blair said she wanted to give it to Chuck alone," Rufus and Lily try not to laugh at Eleanor's cluelessness.

"Oh that's okay I will just leave it under the tree," Lily says. A waiter with champagne passes by and Eleanor grabs three glasses. She hands one to Rufus, but Lily denies the glass.

"Lily, you are never without a glass of champagne." Eleanor comments and Lily blushes. Eleanor gasps and hugs Lily. Everyone stops what they are doing and looks at the three of them.

"She really liked her Christmas present," Rufus covers for them and the crowd goes back to their conversations.

"Congratulations you guys, Cyrus and I were betting on you two having a baby," Eleanor whispers and downs some champagne.

"Oh well, thank you. We don't want anyone to know about it yet," Lily explains.

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me," Eleanor says and winks at the couple.

"Thank you, if you would excuse us, I am a little hungry," Lily says. Rufus grabs her hand and leads her to the food table.

"Are you really hungry or were you just trying to get away from Eleanor?" Rufus asks. Lily laughs,

"My stomach kind of hurts, I wanted to see if food would help," Lily says and loads some cocktail wienies and shrimp onto a plate. Rufus' eyes widen with concern and he places his hands on her hips.

"Let me know if it gets worse okay?" Rufus asks.

"Of course, I have to talk an associate from Bass industries real fast," Lily says and walks over to an elderly man in a suit. Rufus goes back to Dan, Jenny and Vanessa who are joined by Serena and Blair.

"Hi Blair, did you and Chuck get your presents?" Rufus asks.

"No, we will get them later Mr. Humphrey. Serena, can you come upstairs with me?" Blair asks.

"Sure," Serena says and follows her upstairs. Rufus glances over at Lily whose face is etched in pain. While talking, he notices that she places her hand on her abdomen in somewhat of a soothing gesture.

"What was with Eleanor earlier?" Dan asks. Rufus doesn't hear him because he is too busy looking at Lily.

"Dad!" Jenny says a little louder and lightly touches his arm.

"What?" Rufus asks.

"We were wondering about Eleanor freaking out earlier, but you don't seem to care," Dan comments and follows Rufus' eyes over to Lily.

"Is everything okay with Lily?" Dan asks.

"I don't know, I think we are going to head home," Rufus says.

"Okay, well we will probably be back at the penthouse in a few hours," Jenny says. Rufus nods and goes to find their coats. Lily sees Rufus with their coats and ends her conversation with the business man.

"I think it's time to go," Lily says and Rufus helps her with her coat. They say goodbye to Eleanor and get into the limo.

"Did it get worse?" Rufus asks. Lily winces and rubs her stomach.

"It comes and goes. Rufus, what if something is wrong?" Lily asks and to her horror, her eyes start to fill with tears.

"Lil, I'm sure everything is fine." Rufus assures her, although he can't help but wonder if something bad is going on. He doesn't want to say anything until Lily has calmed down.

They arrive back to the penthouse and put their coats on the hangers.

"I am going to go upstairs and change," Lily says and kisses Rufus before heading upstairs. Rufus stays downstairs and grabs a snack in the kitchen. Upstairs, Lily grabs pajamas and heads into the master bathroom to change.

"RUFUS!" A terrified Lily yells from the bathroom. Rufus drops his chips on the floor and bolts upstairs. The only time he has heard her that scared is when Jack tried to assault her at the opera.

"Lil? What is it?" Rufus says as he enters the bathroom, breathing heavily from running upstairs. Lily doesn't respond and instead, shows him her bloody underwear.

**A/N 2: Okay, before you kill me, I did this for a very specific reason. I am not giving any hints about next chapter, only to say that it's worth waiting for. Please review and thank you so much for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Welcome back and as always, thank you for your continuous reviews. I don't know if all the medical facts are right in this chapter, I only know what I looked up on Google. Thanks for coming back and I hope you enjoy this next chapter. **

**Chapter Five**

_"RUFUS!" A terrified Lily yells from the bathroom. Rufus drops his chips on the floor and bolts upstairs. The only time he has heard her that scared is when Jack tried to assault her at the opera._

_ "Lil? What is it?" Rufus says as he enters the bathroom, breathing heavily from running upstairs. Lily doesn't respond and instead shows him her bloody underwear._

"Rufus, I don't know what to do," Lily whispers and changes into fresh underwear.

"I think that we should call your OB and see if she wants us to come in," Rufus suggests, although he is as clueless as she is.

"Okay, I'll wait right here," Lily says and sits down on the bathroom floor. Rufus leaves the bathroom and grabs his phone off of the table. He dials Lily's OB/GYN and prays that she will pick up.

From the bathroom, Lily feels another cramp coming on and her eyes start to water. She can only trust that Rufus will come back with answers soon.

"_Hello, you have reached the offices of Dr. Lisa Sutherland. She is currently out of town until December 28__th__. Please leave a message after the tone," _The automated voice says into Rufus' ear. Rufus swears softly to himself and returns to the bathroom with his phone still in his hand. He notices that Lily is frantically wiping tears from her eyes and lightly rubbing her abdomen.

"Lil, I have bad news. Dr. Sutherland is out of town," Rufus says and sits next to her. Lily's eyes water again and she turns away from him.

"So..uh…" Lily sniffs and wipes her eyes again, "what do we do?"

"I think we should go to the ER," Rufus suggests and feels Lily tighten against him.

"Okay," A tear cascades down her cheek before she can stop it.

"Lily, its okay to cry,"

"I don't want to go," Lily admits.

"I know, but it could be something serious. Besides, the quicker we get there, the quicker we can leave, right?" Lily manages a miniscule grin and stands up. Rufus gets to his feet as well and opens the door for her.

"I am going to get dressed and then we can go," Lily says and heads to her walk in closet.

"Alright, I will call the car," Rufus says and turns on his phone. Lily grabs her favorite True Religion dark wash jeans with a black Fred Segal v neck t shirt and some black Toms. Rarely, does Lily ever leave the house at night not in a dress, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

"Lil, are you almost ready?" Rufus calls down from the bottom of the stairs.

"Yeah, I'll be right down!" Lily slips on her shoes and comes down the stairs. Rufus is already holding her jacket and purse from earlier that evening.

"Thank you darling," Lily says as Rufus helps her put on her jacket and hands her the Balenciaga bag.

"The car is waiting out front," Rufus says and grabs her hand.

"Rufus, are you sure we need to go?" Lily asks one more time as Rufus is tugging on her hand.

"Why are you so hesitant?" Rufus asks.

"I really hate hospitals," Lily whispers. Rufus tilts his head; he thinks that Lily is more scared about something being wrong with the baby than actually going to hospital.

"I know you do, but it's for our child. Come on," Rufus kisses her cheek and leads her downstairs. They climb into the town car and tell the driver to take them to the nearest hospital. While in the limo, Lily has another cramp and clutches Rufus' hand.

"Is this what it's going to be like when you are in labor?" Rufus asks as Lily lets go of his hand little by little. Lily laughs,

"Oh it's going to be much worse than this darling," Rufus' eyes widen and he jokingly backs away from Lily slightly.

"Allison broke my finger when she gave birth to Dan," Rufus says. Lily puts her hand over her mouth to cover up her smile.

"I don't think it will be that bad, but you would have to ask William," Lily says as the car stops in front of Lenox Hill Hospital

"I would rather find out for myself," Rufus says and gets out of the car. Lily takes a deep breath as Rufus opens the door for her. He can sense how scared Lily is, although she will never admit it.

"Come on Lil," Rufus says and grabs her hand, taking her inside the Emergency Room entrance.

"Hi, she is having cramps and is pregnant, we need to see someone," Rufus says to the nurse behind the desk.

"Fill out these forms and a doctor will be with you as soon as possible," The nurse says and hands Rufus a clipboard with three or four papers on it. Rufus and Lily sit down on the couch and he gives her the clipboard.

"I hate paperwork," Lily mutters and scratches out something she just wrote.

"Do you want me to fill those out for you?" Rufus says and is met with a glare from his wife.

"Not unless you know when my last menstrual cycle was," Lily quips and flips the page.

"I am going to get a soda, do you want anything?" Rufus asks.

"A bottle of water would be nice," Lily says. Rufus leaves and Lily finishes filling out the paperwork, having to stop because of a cramping. She returns the forms back to the front desk just as Rufus is returning with their drinks.

"Did she say how long it's going to be?" Rufus asks and gives her the water.

"No, she didn't seem to be in the mood to talk," Lily says and takes a sip of her water.

"How do you feel?"

"I still have some pain, but not as bad as before,"

"Good," Rufus wraps his arm around her while Lily fiddles with her water bottle.

"You never told me why you hate hospitals," Rufus says. Lily sighs and puts the water bottle on the floor.

"Do we have to talk about this now?" Lily asks.

"No, but we have some time,"

"When Eric…tried to kill himself no one would tell me what was going on. I…waited for three hours before someone would come and talk to me. I-I didn't… know what to do," Lily whispers and lays her head on Rufus' arm. Rufus feels guilty for not being there for her, but happy that she is beginning to open up to him some more.

"Lily, I am so sorry that you had to go through that alone." Rufus says and kisses the top of her head.

"Oh Rufus, I didn't want you to get involved. Besides, I believe that you were still married to Allison at the time. I didn't want to cause any problems between the two of you,"

"Lillian Humphrey," An elderly nurse calls. Rufus and Lily stand up and follow the nurse into an empty exam room. "What brings you to the ER today Mrs. Humphrey?"

"I am having cramps and light bleeding. I am also ten weeks pregnant," Lily says.

"Okay, I am going to draw some blood and assign an OB/GYN resident to you. Excuse me," The nurse leaves and Lily starts pacing.

"Lil, come here," Rufus says and wraps an arm around Lily.

"What?" Lily asks.

"Relax," Rufus says. Lily rolls her eyes and frowns. The same nurse as before reenters with a blood drawing kit and instructs Lily to sit down with her forearm outstretched.

"Ugh, I hate needles," Lily says and looks away as the nurse inserts the needle into the crook of her arm. Rufus tries to not laugh at the disgusted look on his wife's face.

"All done, the doctor will be with you shortly," The nurse puts a Band-Aid on Lily's arm, grabs the kit and closes the door behind her.

"I hope the kids aren't worried," Lily says and grimaces at her bandaged arm.

"I can call them if you want,"

"No, I don't want to scare them. We can call them when we know what is going on." Lily winces and grabs the seat of the chair. Rufus feels so helpless, he wishes that there was some way he could take Lily's pain away. There is a knock at the door and a gentleman of about forty walks in.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Clare and you must be Lily," The doctor says and shakes her hand.

"Hi, this is my husband Rufus," Lily says and Rufus shakes the doctor's hand as well.

"So, I heard that you are about ten weeks pregnant and having some cramping with light bleeding." Dr. Clare says as he is scanning the nurse's notes.

"Yeah, the bleeding has stopped, but the cramps are still there," Lily says.

"Well, the fact that the bleeding is a good sign, but you shouldn't be having cramps. I think I should do an exam and ultrasound to find out what is going on if that's okay with you," Dr. Clare says to Lily.

"Whatever you think is best," Lily says.

"Great, if you could put your legs in the stirrups, I can examine you," Lily does as she is told. During the exam, Rufus' cell phone rings.

"It's Dan, I should take this," Rufus says to Lily.

"Don't mind me…" Lily says as Rufus is leaving.

"Dad? Where are you and Lily?" Dan asks.

"We are at the emergency room," Rufus says.

"What? What happened? Is it Lily? Oh my god, is the baby okay? What have you found out?" Dan fires at Rufus'

"Son, calm down. Lily is in with the doctor now so we should know soon if there is a problem. Where are Serena, Jenny, Eric and Scott?"

"They are all back at the penthouse with me. Do you want us to come?" Dan asks as he ignores Serena trying to grab the phone.

"No, Lily is pretty overwhelmed right now. Hopefully they don't want to keep her overnight. I have to go Dan; I'll call you when we know what's going on." Rufus says goodbye and rejoins Lily in the exam room.

Dan relays what Rufus told him to his sister and step siblings. Serena and Eric are insisting on going to see their mother despite Dan's protests.

"Dan, that is my mother, I am going. Are you guys coming with me or not?" Serena asks her ex-boyfriend/step-brother.

"Fine, but we don't even know what hospital they are at, my dad wouldn't say." Dan points out. Serena pulls out her iPhone and uses Google maps to figure out the closest hospital to their current location.

"It looks like Lennox Hill is the closest to here, they are probably there." Serena says and grabs her Chanel bag off of the couch.

"Should we follow her?" Jenny asks. Dan, Eric and Scott shrug.

"She certainly isn't changing her mind," Dan says and follows Serena with Eric, Jenny and Scott on his tail.

"Alright, you can put your legs down. If you will excuse me, I am going to get the ultrasound machine." Dr. Clare says and takes off his gloves before leaving.

"What did Dan have to say?" Lily asks.

"He was worried because he didn't know where we were. I told him what I knew and not to come"

"Well if my daughter has anything to do with it, they will be here," Lily says and sighs.

"Rufus?" Lily asks in a tiny voice.

"Lil?"

"I'm really scared," Lily whispers. Rufus nods in agreement and reaches over to grab her hand.

"Me too, but fear is good. Fear means you still have something to lose," Rufus says. He can't help but be astounded by his wife's admission. This is the first time since Lily told him that she was pregnant that she is genuinely concerned about their child. He hopes that it isn't a miscarriage; he wouldn't want Lily to start getting invested only to have it taken away.

"Look who I found in the waiting room," Dr. Clare says and in walks Rufus' and Lily's children.

"Oh my god!" Lily says and hugs each one of them.

"Serena threatened bodily harm if we didn't come," Dan says sheepishly and stands by his father. Lily is touched, even though her kids can be selfish, they care deeply about her.

"Since everyone's here, let's do an ultrasound," Dr. Clare says and boots up the machine. Lily pulls up her shirt and takes Rufus' hand. "This is going to be cold," Dr. Clare waves the probe around Lily's abdomen until he gets a clear picture. "Your baby is just fine," Serena looks over at her mother who is giving the biggest smile to her stepfather that Serena has ever seen. After everything that has happened between the two of them, Rufus and Lily have stayed together which speaks volumes to Serena. She would much rather have Rufus in her life than her actual father because she can see that her mother is the happiest she has ever been.

Serena looks over at Jenny who is grinning, but Serena can tell that she still feels guilty for trying to break Rufus and Lily up. Serena has forgiven Jenny only because her mother has. However, if Jenny ever pulls something like that again, Serena will kill her.

Dr. Clare turns the machine off and hands Lily a towel to wipe up the gel.

"I need to talk to Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey alone, if you kids don't mind,"

"Oh no problem, we were just leaving. I'm glad everything is okay," Serena says and ushers everyone out.

"Bye kids, we will see you at home," Lily calls out after them.

"Are they all yours?" Dr. Clare asks.

"The one that said goodbye and the boy standing behind her are mine from a previous marriage. The shorter blonde girl and tall brunette guy are his from a previous marriage and the other boy is our son." Lily says.

"Okay, well based on your exam and blood work the bleeding was caused by a cervical tear. It's common in older women that have had a few kids which you have had. They are minor and will heal themselves in two to three weeks." Dr. Clare explains to them.

"And her abdominal pain?" Rufus asks.

"Also caused by the tear, it's kind of your body's way of telling you something isn't right. That should subside in the next few days which brings me to my next point. I want you to relax over Christmas, at home preferably with your feet up. No heavy lifting, no running around, and no sex." Lily feels like she is being chastised by her father and blushes.

"Thank you," Rufus says and shakes the doctor's hand.

"You're welcome and Happy Holidays," Dr. Clare says and shakes Lily's hand.

"Let's go home," Lily says and gets down from the exam table. Rufus wraps an arm around her and they walk into the waiting town car.

"I want to thank you Rufus for being there, I appreciate it."

"Lil, I am your husband, you don't have to thank me. I haven't seen you that terrified since CeCe caught us in bed together," Lily laughs at the memory and shakes her head.

"I guess I didn't know how much I wanted another child…with you until I almost lost it."

"Well I am glad that you both are okay," Rufus says and puts his hand on Lily's stomach.

"Me too," Lily kisses him fully.

"I thought it was sweet of the kids to come,"

"Me too, poor Dan had no chance against Serena. I felt kind of bad for him,"

"Us Humphrey men can't say no to you Van Der Woodsen women,"

"Good, I'm just glad I found an excuse to have breakfast in bed and a nice quiet Christmas."

"All you had to do was ask Lil, you didn't have to go through the dramatics. I can assure you that you aren't doing any work for the next few days."

"Only if Charles needs me,"

"Lily," Rufus says in a dad-like tone. Lily winks at him and lays her head down, starting to succumb to sleepiness.

"Don't fall asleep, we are here," Rufus says to her as the car pulls to a stop. Lily groans and readjusts her head on Rufus' shoulder.

"Lil, we can't sleep in here, come on," Rufus opens the door, letting the cold in.

"Carry me," Lily mumbles into his jacket and wraps her arms around his neck. Rufus realizes that Lily is stubborn enough to stay in the car so he gently gets out of the car and picks Lily up.

"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity Lil," Rufus whispers to her and thanks Vanya for opening the door for him.

"Goodnight," Vanya says and pushes the button for Rufus.

"Thank you Vanya," Rufus says and gets into the elevator. Lily is snoring quietly and Rufus silently thanks her for being so light.

"Lily wake up, we are home," Rufus says to her. Lily opens her eyes and Rufus helps her stand up.

"Thank you for carrying me, we must have looked silly," Lily says.

"I think Vanya thought it was cute," Rufus says and walks further into the penthouse.

"Where are the kids?" Lily asks him. Rufus points to the couch where Serena, Dan and Jenny are sleeping. Scott and Eric are both on the floor fast asleep.

"That is so cute, they wanted to wait up for us," Lily says and gives each of her children a kiss.

"What do you say we go to bed?" Rufus asks her.

"I would love that," Lily whispers and tugs on his hand, leading the way upstairs.

The next day is Christmas Eve and Lily is awoken by her husband placing a tray of food on her lap.

"Good morning," Lily gives Rufus a peck on the cheek and surveys her breakfast.

"I didn't know how your stomach was going to feel so I just made oatmeal. If you want something else just let me know," Rufus says and takes a sip of his orange juice.

"No this is perfect, thank you," Lily eats her oatmeal and drinks all of her orange juice.

"I have to go, Scott wants to spend the day with his adoptive parents before our family dinner tonight," Rufus says.

"Okay, I need to finish getting everyone's presents together,"

"No heavy lifting,"

"Yes dad,"

"I will call you when I'm on my way back." Rufus kisses her softly and takes the tray back downstairs. Lily climbs out of bed and comes downstairs in her pajamas.

"Dan? Jenny? Are you guys still here?" Lily asks as she is walking down the stairs.

"Yeah Lily, what's up?" Dan asks while nursing a cup of green tea.

"I wanted your opinion on your dad's present before I wrapped it. Can you go into the coat closet and take it out for me?" Lily asks. Dan furrows his brows in confusion, but does what is asked.

"Wow, he is going to love this!" Dan says when he comes back carrying a guitar case.

"Oh good, I wasn't sure. I have the other part of his present upstairs, would you mind carrying that up for me?" Lily asks.

"Sure, trust me Lily, dad is going to love it," Dan reassures her and takes the guitar upstairs. Lily trails behind Dan and tells him to put it in the corner of their bedroom.

"Okay, I am assuming that everyone is doing their last minute shopping, right Dan?" Lily asks him.

"I would guess so. Actually, I need to get one more thing before dinner tonight if you would excuse me."

"Of course, just make sure you are back here by five." Lily kisses Dan's cheek and he leaves. Lily sends a text to all of her kids reminding them that the family dinner is starting at five o clock sharp. Chuck texts her back saying that he is having dinner at Blair's and thanks her for the present he left her yesterday. Lily has some time to kill before everyone gets back so she decides to take a bath.

In the middle of her bath, Lily grabs a washcloth and fills it with body wash. She washes her body, paying special attention to her belly.

"I'm glad you are okay, you really scared me and your daddy last night," Lily says to her baby. She berates herself for becoming one of _those _women, the women who become pregnant and turns into a softie. Still, it feels amazing to finally have connected with the unborn child inside of her.

Lily finishes her bath in silence and gets ready for the day. Rufus returns an hour later with some presents for the kids. Lily is in the midst of yelling at the florist for bringing the wrong flowers for the centerpiece on the table. The poor florist looks like he is about to pee his pants, so Rufus intervenes.

"Lil, just relax, it's just a family dinner. I am sure the only person who will notice the flowers is you," Rufus wraps an arm around his wife's waist and hands the florist a twenty. He thanks Rufus and quickly leaves before Lily has the chance to yell at him again.

"I just want this to be special," Lily says and puts the poinsettias in the middle of the elongated dining room table.

"I know you do," Rufus appreciates his wife for going through all the trouble simply for a Christmas dinner. This is the first time in a while that everyone is getting along and he understands that Lily just wants to enjoy it while it lasts.

"Alright, the caterer will be here at four and we are eating at five," Lily says and smiles, satisfied with the table layout.

"Well it's almost one now, so we still have a few hours. Come and sit down," Rufus grabs her hand and brings her over to the couch.

"I hope you like your present," Rufus says to her and points to it under the tree.

"I hate to ask, but could you go and get yours upstairs? I'm not supposed to lift anything heavy," Lily bats her eyelashes at Rufus who can't resist.

"Fine, I better love it,"

"Trust me you will; it got your kids' stamp of approval,"

Rufus and Lily spend the rest of the day watching Christmas specials and pigging out on junk food. The kids slowly start to come back with Scott being the last one to come since his adoptive parents had to drop him off.

Dinner runs smoothly for once, mostly having to do with the fact that Rufus and Lily makes everyone turn off their phones. Despite the kids' complaints, Rufus is firm, stating that it was a family holiday and everything else can wait. After dinner, the family gathers around the tree to open their presents to each other.

Rufus and Lily give the kids their presents first. They bought Jenny a Tiffany and Co. J diamond necklace, Dan a leather stationary set, Eric a monogrammed Hermes scarf, Scott a driver to take him wherever he wants, and for Serena, the Chanel leather gloves with cheetah fur trimming.

Serena hands out her presents next. Dan gets a first edition of Crime and Punishment, Eric and Scott, black leather Armani wallets, Jenny, a royal blue scarf from Barney's, Lily, a white cashmere sweater and Rufus, some new brown leather gloves from Bendel's.

"Wait, there is one more present for you guys," Serena says and hands Rufus and Lily a robin's egg blue box, the Tiffany and Co. trademark.

"Oh Serena, it's beautiful, thank you," Lily says as she pulls out a sterling silver baby cup.

"You're welcome, I thought the baby could use a gift too," Lily hands Rufus the cup and hugs Serena.

"Scott, Jenny, Eric and I all combined our money this year to get you guys' gifts," Dan explains and hands them out.

Lily receives a two week supply of oatmeal, Rufus, a new waffle maker, Serena, a red galaxy s3 specifically for Blair's "emergency" phone calls, and a Brooklyn, New York onesie for the baby.

"Thank you guys, this is so sweet. Eric, could you hand me Rufus' gift please?" Lily asks and points to the guitar case. Eric grabs the guitar case and gives it to Lily who in turn hands it to Rufus.

"Wow, a 1964 Les Paul! Thanks Lil," Rufus says and kisses her.

"There is one more gift for you," Lily says and hands him the other present. Rufus opens it and smiles when he sees it's an old photo of him that Lily took during her photojournalist days.

"I love it, thank you," Rufus gives her a peck on the lips so he doesn't have to hear about their PDA from the children. Rufus hands Lily a gift bag. She opens it to find a necklace with all of their kids' birthstones on it.

"Oh Rufus, it's beautiful! Can you put it on me?" Lily asks. Rufus takes the necklace from her and brushes her hair out of the way so he can clasp the necklace on her neck.

"The baby's birthstone isn't on their yet obviously, but the saleslady said that we can come back and add it when he or she is born," Rufus explains.

"Great, thank you," Lily kisses him. Serena clears her throat,

"As much as I would love to watch the two of you make out, I am going to Blair's to say hi. Anyone want to come with?" All of the kids agree and wave goodbye to their parents.

"Merry Christmas Lil," Rufus says once the kids clear out.

"Merry Christmas Rufus," Lily says back and gives him a passionate kiss.

**A/N 2: I know this chapter was fluffy, but this will make up for what's to come. Please leave a review on your way out and thanks so much for reading. Have a great weekend!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: As always, I would like to thank everyone who has left a review for this story, I really appreciate it. Sorry I haven't updated in a few days, school has suddenly become more difficult. Without further ado, please enjoy chapter six.**

**Chapter Six**

Lily could not believe that she is four months pregnant today. Everything seems to be going great, her morning sickness is gone, her and Rufus are better than they ever have been and Valentine's Day is only a week away. The only downside and it really isn't one, is that the concave of Lily's abdomen has filled out. Rufus mocks her for having a beer belly, but he secretly thinks it is the cutest thing ever. His favorite thing to do is to wrap his arm around her waist and rub her belly before sneaking away.

"Rufus! Where are you?" Lily calls from the bedroom.

"I'm downstairs Lil, remember?" Rufus yells back. She rolls her eyes and slips her robe on before joining him in the kitchen.

"I was just about to make breakfast, what would you like?" Rufus asks her.

"I am craving waffles," Lily says and watches Rufus' face light up.

"I knew that was my kid," Rufus says and puts a hand over her abdomen briefly.

"Well now that _your _kid isn't making me throw up anymore, I appreciate him or her better," Lily says and grabs the newspaper off of the counter.

"So, what does the Upper East side have in store for us today?" Rufus asks while he is taking the waffles out of his new waffle maker.

"We have that appointment at eleven and then I have a lunch meeting with Bruce," Lily says, not even looking up from the newspaper.

"Oh right, don't we have that amnio…whatever thing?" Rufus asks and sets Lily's plate down in front of her.

"Amniocentesis," Lily corrects him and takes a bite of her waffles.

"Yeah, that. Are you nervous about it?" Rufus asks, enjoying his own waffles.

"I know it's going to hurt and I would rather not do it," Lily admits.

"Don't worry, I'll be there and you can squeeze my hand as hard as you want to,"

"Thank you darling, I intend to take you up on your offer," Lily and Rufus polish of their plates of waffles and head upstairs to get ready. They take the limo down to Dr. Sutherland's office and wait for their name to be called. Lily is growing more nervous and is considering telling Dr. Sutherland that she doesn't want the amniocentesis done anymore. However, her need to know if something is wrong with the baby outweighs her want to not be in pain.

"Are you okay?" Rufus asks after noticing Lily's silence.

"No, I just want to get this over with,"

"Lily Humphrey," A nurse calls. Lily and Rufus follow the nurse to a scale. Lily takes her shoes off and stands on the scale.

"You have gained six pounds since your last visit," The nurse tells Lily and leads them into an empty exam room.

"Six pounds!" Lily whispers to Rufus. Rufus looks down at her slightly swollen abdomen and back to her face. Lily glares at him and shakes her head. Rufus throws his hands up and doesn't say anything. The nurse takes Lily's temperature and blood pressure, which are both normal.

"Dr. Sutherland will be with you momentarily," The nurse says and closes the door behind her. Lily waits for the door to close before she smacks Rufus on the arm.

"Ow Lil! What was that for?" Rufus asks and rubs his arm.

"That is for not being a supportive husband," Lily says and crosses her arms.

"Lily, I think that your growing belly is sexy," Rufus admits and stands up from his chair to hover over her.

"You do?" Lily asks. Rufus kisses her in response, but is interrupted by knocking at the door.

"We will continue this later. Come in!" Lily yells and Rufus sits back down in the chair next to the exam table. Dr. Sutherland comes in with the ultrasound machine and a large needle. Upon seeing the size of the needle, Lily tenses up.

"Okay I am sure that you want to get done with this as quickly as possible, so if you would lift up your shirt we can get started." Dr. Sutherland says and puts gel on the probe. Lily leans back and lifts her shirt up until it is resting comfortably under her breasts. Rufus grabs her hand and winks at her. Lily smiles back, thrilled that Rufus is there to support her.

"There is the baby. It's still a little too early to tell the gender, but by your next appointment I will be able to tell you if you would like." Both Rufus and Lily widely grin at the sight of their child. Dr. Sutherland rips open an alcohol wipe and wipes a small portion of Lily's stomach.

"Alright, this next part is going to hurt. Rufus, I want you to distract Lily in any way possible. Lily, I don't want you to look over here until I am done. It's going to be more painful if I have to stop and start again," Dr Sutherland says and grabs the needle.

"Lil, look at me. I want you to tell me all about where you would want to go for the honeymoon we never go to have." Rufus says the first thing that pops into his mind. Lily shoots him a confused look, but plays along.

"Hawaii...Ow!" Lily cries out and squeezes Rufus' hand. The doctor pulls back on the needle which causes Lily to wince even more.

"Okay we are done," Dr. Sutherland removes the needle and everyone collectively sighs.

"Are you okay?" Rufus asks and kisses her temple.

"I'm not sure yet," Lily honestly replies and rubs the spot where the needle went in.

"Your stomach will most likely hurt for the rest of the day which is normal. Please call if there are any abnormal symptoms or if you spike a fever within the next 24 to 48 hours." Dr. Sutherland hands Lily a towel and leaves. Lily wipes the gel off of her stomach and pulls her shirt down.

"Help me up," Lily says and extends her hand to Rufus. He grabs it and slowly gets her to her feet.

"Are you sure you want to go to this meeting? You can barely stand up," Rufus says, his voice marring with concern.

"I'll be fine, that just really hurt," Rufus hands Lily her purse and guides her out of the office with a hand on the small of her back.

"I am going to take a cab back to the penthouse, I'll see you when you get home," Rufus says as the limo for Lily pulls up.

"Alright, have fun," Lily says. Rufus opens the door for her and kisses her on the cheek. Lily steps in the limo, leaving Rufus on the curb. As the limo drives away, Rufus pulls out his cell phone and dials a familiar number.

"Hey, can you meet me for lunch?" Rufus asks.

"Won't your wife find out?" The woman on the other end questions.

"No, she will be in a meeting for the next few hours," Rufus assures her.

"Alright, where do you want to meet?"

"How about Communitea in Brooklyn? Do you know where that is?"

"Yeah, I know the place. Say twenty minutes?"

"Great, I will meet you there," Rufus hangs up the phone and whistles for a cab.

Meanwhile, Lily arrives at the W hotel to meet Bruce. She hands her coat over to an employee and waits. A girl having lunch in the hotel whips out her phone and takes a picture of Lily. The girl sends it into Gossip Girl and resumes her lunch.

Serena, Eric, Dan, Jenny and Chuck's phones buzz. They flip it open and see that it is another notorious blast from Gossip Girl.

**Spotted: It looks like Mrs. Lonely Boy is trading in work outs for pig outs. Or could there be a bun in the oven for the couple? Watch out Upper East Siders, there might be another Humphrey on the way. Stay tuned for more details, xoxo. **

Serena was waiting for this moment to come. For as careful as her mother is, she always manages to end up on Gossip Girl. Chuck on the other hand, is skeptical about the blast. Surely if Lily was in fact pregnant, she would tell him. After all, they have come so far in their relationship for Lily to be hiding something from him. Although, he hasn't seen his adoptive mother in a while, so it could be true. Chuck makes a mental note to drop by the penthouse within the next few days to find out for himself.

On the other side of the bridge, Rufus is busy having lunch when one of Blair's minions takes a picture of him and sends it into Gossip Girl.

**It looks like Mr. Lonely Boy is having lunch with a mystery woman. What's wrong Rufus? Is the Upper East Side too much for you? I would be careful, Lily might find out about what you are doing on the wrong side of the bridge. That's all for now, xoxo.**

Serena and Eric are beyond upset by the latest blast and wonder what the hell Rufus is doing. Serena ponders whether she should forward the blast to her mother or wait. She sends Eric a quick text to get his input. Eric responds by saying that Serena should hold off, not wanting to upset their mother over what could be nothing. Serena decides to forward the first Gossip Girl blast to her mother instead. Although Serena feels guilty for keeping her mother in the dark, she doesn't want to meddle in Lily and Rufus' relationship.

Lily's iPhone buzzes on the table and she quickly checks it.

"Would you mind if I looked at this, it's from my daughter?" Lily asks Bruce who doesn't object. Lily unlocks her phone and is shocked to see a picture of her splashed across Gossip Girl. She observes that the picture must have been from today because she is wearing the same outfit.

"Lily, is there something wrong?" Bruce asks, noticing the distressed look on her face.

"No, everything is fine. Let's continue," Lily says and turns off her phone. The picture on Gossip Girl made Lily realize that she needs to buy maternity clothes earlier than she thought. That picture makes her look huge! She makes a mental note to go shopping immediately following this meeting. Lily gazes down at her chocolate cake and loses taste for it.

"Well I think that the board will be happy with the presentation. I will let you know how it goes," Bruce says and stands up.

"Great," Lily gets on her feet and kisses Bruce on the cheek. She collects her coat at the front and heads to Fifth Avenue for some much needed retail therapy.

Lily flies through Bendels, and Bergdorf's, buying anything in maternity that will fit her. She decides to buy things that will fit her now because she doesn't know how big she is going to get. Besides, it's just another excuse to go shopping. She passes by the baby section in the baby section in Macy's and hesitates. Lily regrets promising Rufus that she won't buy anything for the baby until they know the gender.

_I could buy non-gender specific things, like those blankets! Rufus won't care; _Lily thinks to herself and reaches out to touch a yellow silk blanket. She also buys an adorable stuffed lamb. She hopes that Rufus won't get mad at her for shopping without him, but she can't help herself. Lily pays for her purchases and starts to feel a little hungry. She heads to the café in Barney's and orders a light salad with a green tea.

She texts Rufus to tell him that she bought some cute stuff for the baby that she will have to show him when they get back to the penthouse. Lily puts her phone down and concentrates on eating her lunch. She finds it odd that Rufus hasn't texted her back, he usually responds right away.

In Brooklyn, Rufus' phone buzzes on the table. He checks it and sees that it is a text from Lily.

"Do you need to get that?" The woman he is with asks.

"No, it's just a text from Lily. I am sure that it is nothing serious," Rufus turns off his phone and gives his full attention to his eating companion.

Lily throws away her lunch and remembers that she has to pick up her dress from the drycleaners. She instructs her driver to take her to her usual drycleaner on 54th street.

"Oh Mrs. Humphrey, how are you?" George, her drycleaner asks.

"I have told you a million times to call me Lily. I am doing just fine, how are you?"

"Good, I assume you are here to pick up that dress that is worth half my salary?" George jokes and points to the bag enclosed in protective plastic. Lily smiles,

"Yes I am and thank you for putting a rush on it, I completely forgot about it until yesterday." George hands the dress over to Lily and points to a man's blazer.

"Do you want your husband's stuff too?"

"My husband's? When did Rufus drop that off?"

"The day before yesterday I believe. He hasn't been by yet to pick it up and I can't keep it for much longer," George explains.

"Sure, I will take it, Thank you George." George gives her the blazer and a piece of paper.

"This was found in it, I think your husband might want it back," Lily accepts the note and pays for her bill. Lily is puzzled, if Rufus knew that she was dropping something off at the cleaners yesterday, why didn't he give the blazer to her then? Could he just have forgotten to mention it to her, or is something else going on here? And what's with the note?

Lily hands the two bags over to the driver and steps into the limo. She is internally debating with herself if she should read the note or not. It could be nothing, but Lily doesn't want to invade his privacy. Curiosity trumps confidentiality and Lily opens the note. Reading it, Lily feels her body heat up with rage.

**Thanks for coming to see me, Rufus. Love, Chelsea. **

After all that they have been through, for Lily to find this secret note in Rufus' jacket is a huge blow. Lily tries to rationalize with herself, thinking of twenty more benign scenarios than the more obvious one. She knows that she must proceed cautiously; Lily wants to give Rufus a chance to explain himself before she jumps to the wrong conclusion.

"Where to Mrs. Humphrey?" The driver asks over the intercom.

"Home please," Lily calls back. Lily clutches the note in her right hand, not wanting to let it go. Regardless of what is or isn't going on between her husband and this mystery woman, the fact that Rufus has been keeping this from her stings. Rufus gave her a lot of flak for hiding William and her suspected cancer from him; she would never forgive him if he is cheating on her.

Lily knows that Rufus isn't that guy; he wouldn't cheat on his pregnant wife with some forgettable bimbo. And yet, there is the whole Holland situation. By Rufus' own admission, he came extremely close to cheating on her with Holland. She doesn't know what to do or how to react; this is all too much for her to deal with.

Lily arrives back at the penthouse and is happy to see that her husband isn't home. She needs time to think of a good strategy to present Rufus' with. She doesn't want to outright accuse him of cheating, but she needs to hear a valid explanation as to why this note was in his pocket. Lily sets down her bags and takes the dry cleaning upstairs with her. She hangs up his blazer in the back of her closet and then climbs into bed.

Rufus comes through the door an hour later, feeling excited. His lunch went great and he can't wait to see what happens with Chelsea. He spots Lily's bags and remembers to check the text she sent him. Rufus reads it and looks through the Macy's bag to find the stuff for the baby. He smiles and returns the stuff before heading upstairs.

Rufus walks into the room quietly and sits down on the bed next to his sleeping wife. He doesn't want to wake her; she needs to get her rest after their doctor's appointment this morning. He reaches out and softly caresses her cheek. Rufus can feel Lily tensing up under his touch and retracts his hand. He also observes the wrinkle between her eyebrows. _She must be deeply worried about something for that to remain even when she is sleeping,_ Rufus thinks to himself.

Rufus leaves the room and goes downstairs wondering why his wife is so upset. He considers the possibility that Lily found about his lunch meeting but, he specifically had in Brooklyn because he knew that she wouldn't be there. Also, there aren't many people in their kid's social circles that hang out in Brooklyn. All the kids are in various colleges, too busy with their own lives to care about what their parents are doing.

Lily yawns and stretches. She checks the clock on her side of the bed and is surprised to see that she has been asleep for two hours. Being pregnant has made her lazy; she now takes daily naps just to have enough energy to get through her day. Lily gets out of bed slowly because she is still feeling some pain from the amniocentesis this morning. She quickly goes to the bathroom and decides not to get out of her pajamas. If Rufus wants to go out later, she will just change into something more formal. Although, after the conversation they are about to have, she doubts that Rufus will even want to stay here. Lily sighs and wishes that she never found the note. However, she is a little grateful; this gives them the opportunity to put everything out on the table.

Lily is taken aback by the sight Rufus sitting on the couch, drinking a soda. She sits next to him and tries to put on a brave face.

"Hey, where were you all day?" Lily asks as Rufus' wraps an arm around her.

"I was at a business meeting with a record producer," Rufus lies. _Uh huh, _Lily thinks to herself.

"Oh, I was worried when you didn't answer your phone. I got some stuff for the baby that I wanted to show you," Lily gets up and grabs the Macy's bag off the floor.

"I know I got your text. What did you buy?" Rufus asks, even though he already peeked in the bag. He didn't want to burst her bubble, she just looked too excited.

"I got some _non-gender specific _blankets and a _non-gender specific _lamb." Lily stresses the gender part to show Rufus that she worked around their promise.

"Well I think this _non-gender specific_ stuff is cute Lil. What else did you today?" _Alright Lily, this is your moment. Tell him! _The voice inside her head yells.

"I went to the drycleaner to pick up my dress for the banquet next week and George gave me your blazer." Lily begins, wanting to gage Rufus' reaction. He remains calm and waits for her to continue.

"George gave me a note that he found in your pocket," Rufus furrows his eyebrows in confusion and gives her a "so" look. Lily licks her lips and hands him the note. He takes the note and scans it, his eyes widening after every word.

"Lil, this is not what it looks like," Rufus assures her.

"Well Rufus, you haven't exactly told me what it looks like so forgive me if I am still a little skeptical," Lily says sarcastically.

"I can't tell you," Rufus says and hates himself for seeing the deep hurt on Lily's face.

"Can't or won't Rufus?" Lily says, failing miserably to keep her nonchalant façade.

"Lil, I am asking you to give me the benefit of the doubt. Can you do that for me?" Lily shakes her head,

"I want to, I really do, but I would be lying if I didn't say that your history with Holland makes me doubtful."

"Lil, I thought we put Holland in the past," Rufus says solemnly.

"I thought we did too and then I find out that you are doing the exact same thing all over again. Only this time it's worse," Lily says and brushes her hand over her abdomen.

"I understand that you are upset, but I am asking you to trust me."

"I can't," Lily whispers and slumps her shoulders in defeat. Rufus is deeply hurt by Lily's admission. He wants to tell her what actually happened this afternoon, but now that he knows that she doesn't trust him, it isn't worth it.

"Well I guess we finally got everything out in the open," Rufus says.

"I think you should go now," Lily calmly states. Rufus grabs his jacket from the closet and hesitates at the elevator.

"I will be at the loft if there is an emergency," Rufus says and steps into the elevator. Lily expected Rufus to leave, but she doesn't regret anything that transpired. She doesn't want to be married to Rufus only because she is scared of being alone. She made that mistake with Bart as well as her other husbands. Lily firmly believes that telling Rufus that she doesn't trust him was the right to do, even though it hurt him. How can they move forward and raise a child if there are any doubts?

Rufus arrives back at the loft and pours himself a glass of scotch. If Lily was there with him, she would make a face and ask him how he can drink non-premium liquor. His smile disintegrates at the thought of his wife and their fight earlier. He is well aware that he could have prevented the fight by not hiding what he is doing with Chelsea, but a part of him is thankful that he did. This caused him to discover that his own wife can't give him the benefit of the doubt. He hopes that Lily realizes that they need to talk. Not tonight though, tonight he hides behind a bottle of scotch.

Back at the penthouse, Lily hasn't moved since Rufus left. She reaches over and grabs the baby blanket that she surprised her husband with. Trace amounts of his cologne are still clinging onto the fabric. A half an hour ago Lily was showing him what she bought for their baby and now she is alone. A tear plummets down her cheek. She frantically wipes it away, but more come. Finally, after all this time, Lily does the one thing she never does…break down.

**A/N 2: I am hoping that everyone got the point of this argument. It wasn't entirely for drama, but to point out a flaw in their relationship. Don't worry, next chapter there is a resolution and we finally get to see what Rufus was hiding. Please leave a review on your way out and thank you for reading. **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Welcome back and thank you for all of the kind reviews, I appreciate them. Just a warning, I am not exactly certain if Rufus and Lily met in high school or not, but for my story they did. With that, please enjoy chapter seven.**

**Chapter Seven**

Four days. It has been four days since Rufus and Lily's fight. Four days with no calls, texts or seeing each other. They agreed to give each other space to work out their own issues before meeting up to talk. Rufus has stayed at the loft and is only going to the penthouse to pick up clothes when he knows that Lily isn't there. Also, they both thought it would be best not to inform the kids that they are fighting. Rufus and Lily didn't want them to be worried or even worse, to take sides. Especially Jenny who has just repaired her relationship with Lily after William left. Lily hopes to make up with Rufus before Valentine's Day, but hasn't made any attempt to contact him.

She does miss him and wants to be with him, but is still so angry about him keeping secrets from her. However, she has never felt so alone in these past four days than in her entire life, especially yesterday when she had to attend a charity gala at the New York Art Institute without Rufus. He has become such a fixture in the Upper East Side social scene that many people were asking Lily where he was, particularly Eleanor. For as much as Eleanor teases Rufus for his Brooklyn roots, she genuinely likes him. A little too much if you ask Lily, not that she is worried because she is well aware of Rufus' dislike for Eleanor.

To save face, Lily told everyone that asked that Rufus was meeting with a record label and forgot that it conflicted with the gala. Lily didn't think she was going to miss Rufus' comments about the superficiality of these galas or the way he spits the caviar in a napkin when he thinks no one is looking, but she did. So Lily did the polite thing and put in a couple hours of face time before going home to an empty apartment.

The elevator to the penthouse dings and Chuck walks in to see Lily deep in thought. He hangs his coat up in the closet and clears his throat to get her attention. Lily snaps out of her daydream and looks at Chuck.

"Charles I didn't know you were stopping by," Lily says and gets off the couch to hug him. Chuck sneaks a peek at Lily's abdomen to confirm that the Gossip Girl blast about her being pregnant was correct.

"So it was true," Chuck says after breaking their hug. Lily raises her eyebrows at Chuck, looking for an explanation.

"There was a Gossip Girl blast about you being pregnant. I didn't want to believe it, but I guess it's true." Lily realizes that she hurt Chuck's feelings and puts a hand on his shoulder.

"I wanted to tell you in person before someone else did. With our schedules being so crazy lately, this is the first time I have seen you since I found out. Please don't be upset Charles; I wasn't trying to hide this from you." Lily is honestly surprised that Serena or Eric didn't tell Chuck, she didn't think her kids could hide it for so long.

"Where is your half-priced hubby so I can congratulate him," Chuck says and takes a look around the penthouse.

"He is not here," Lily says solemnly and frowns.

"Ah so the rumor about Rufus had some merit," Chuck says and shakes his head.

"What rumor about Rufus? Don't tell me my husband has become a part of that stupid Gossip Girl website," Chuck rolls his eyes and pulls out his phone.

"Here, take a look at this," Chuck pulls up the blast and hands his iPhone over to Lily. Lily's jaw drops and she bites her lip in frustration.

"I didn't know he went to lunch with this girl too," Lily whispers and gives Chuck back his phone.

"What happened between you and Rufus?" Chuck asks.

"I shouldn't get you involved, it's not your concern,"

"I won't tell Serena, Eric or any of the other Brady Bunch if that's what you are worried about." Chuck assures her. Lily contemplates; it might be cathartic to tell Chuck as she has been keeping it inside since Rufus left four days ago.

"I went to pick up the dry cleaning and I found a note from a woman named Chelsea in his pocket. I confronted him about it and he didn't offer any explanation. He has been staying at the loft for the past four days, giving me my space." Lily explains to Charles who is sympathetic.

"We could put anthrax on his credit card," Chuck says after a few moments of silence. Lily smiles for the first time in a while and shakes her head.

"That wouldn't work, we have a joint account," Lily jokes back.

"We could always revisit the list we made for Jack."

"I appreciate you trying to light the mood Charles, but I think Rufus and I just need to talk. If that doesn't work out, we could always put him on the Bass private jet." Chuck laughs as his phone vibrates on the couch.

"That's Blair, she needs me for something. I should probably go," Chuck says and hugs Lily goodbye.

"Goodbye Charles, thank you for coming," Lily says. Chuck gets his coat out of the closet and shows himself out. Lily sits on the couch, feeling angrier at Rufus than before. She can't believe that Rufus didn't tell her about the lunch he had. Although, she did have to confront him about the note, so she shouldn't be too shocked. Why is it so hard for them to just be honest with each other?

Lily admits that she is just as guilty of this transgression as Rufus, but at least she is trying to open up. Rufus on the other hand, criticizes her for keeping things to herself and then does the same thing. She doesn't deny that Rufus loves her and that she loves him, but they can't keep doing this to each other. It's not fair to them or their kids. They should either be in a relatively successful marriage or move on and get a divorce. With the way things are going, Lily is giving their marriage one more shot before speaking to her divorce attorney.

In Brooklyn, Rufus is pacing around the apartment, debating on whether to call Lily. He is still upset about Lily saying she doesn't trust him, but is willing to talk to her if she is. Rufus grabs his iPhone off of the floor and dials a number he knows by heart.

Lily can hear her phone vibrating on the table. She cranes her neck in order to see who is calling her. She scowls when a picture of her and Rufus appears on the screen, signifying that Rufus is trying to reach out to her. Lily snatches the phone off of the table and pushes ignore. It's not that she doesn't want to talk to Rufus; she is just still reeling from what Chuck told her that she doesn't want to say anything that will drive them further apart. The best thing to do for now is send him to voicemail and talk to him when his lunch with Chelsea isn't so fresh in her mind.

_Hi, you reached Lily Humphrey. I am not in right now, but if you would leave your name and number I will be happy to return your call._

"Hey Lil, it's me. I know we agreed to give each other space, but I miss you. I am ready to talk so if you are too, call me back as soon as possible. Bye." Rufus hangs up the phone and gently sets it down on the couch. He is a little annoyed that Lily sent him to voicemail, but satisfied that he made the first move. All he has to do now is wait, but for how long? Lily is notorious for being stubborn; Rufus just hopes that she can put it behind them so they can have a good Valentine's Day.

Lily gets off of the couch and digs through the fridge, suddenly craving strawberry yogurt. She finds her yogurt and sits back down on the couch. Her phone vibrates and Lily is hoping that Rufus isn't calling her again. She reluctantly drops the yogurt and picks up the iPhone.

"Addison!" Lily exclaims as she answers the phone.

"Hey Lily!" Addison enthusiastically says back. Addison Miller is Lily's best friend from high school. She moved out of New York after they graduated college. They haven't seen each other in four years.

"What's going on Addie?"

"I am in New York for business and I wanted to know if you wanted to go to dinner tonight," Addison offers.

"I would love to, how about the Pierre at six?" Lily says.

"Great, I will see you then," Addison says and they say their goodbyes. Lily hangs up feeling excited. She hasn't had any motivation to do anything in the past four days. After Addison's call, she is feeling rejuvenated. Lily checks the time on her phone and it's only one in the afternoon.

_I need a new outfit for dinner tonight, _Lily thinks to herself and goes upstairs to get ready to go shopping. She really wants to wear designer couture for as long into her pregnancy as she can. Luckily, Lily finds a loose fitting black Marchesa dress with a sweetheart neckline encrusted in diamonds. The main focus is on her breasts, not her abdomen. Plus, black is a slimming color and happens to contrast well with her ivory skin.

Satisfied, Lily pays for her dress and goes back to the penthouse. She takes a quick nap and shower before doing her hair and makeup. By five thirty, Lily puts a final bobby pin in her elegant up do and grabs her Prada pocketbook.

The driver drops her off at Pierre and Lily is shown to a private table in the back. About five minutes later, Lily spots Addison's petite brunette frame from across the restaurant and waves her over.

"Lil!" Addison yells and fast walks over to Lily. Lily stands up and gives Addison a hug before sitting back down. Addison notices Lily's slight baby bump and beams at her.

"Wow congrats Lily! When are you due?" Addison asks.

"I was hoping you couldn't tell in this dress, but I am due in July," Lily jokes.

"I am so happy for you," Addison pauses and makes sure there is a ring on Lily's finger before she asks, "Who's the lucky father?"

"Rufus Humphrey, we got married about a year ago,"

"I knew the two of you would eventually end up together! Even in high school, I could tell," Addison brags. Addison was one of Rufus and Lily's biggest supporters in high school, always bugging Rufus to propose to Lily. Addison was almost as devastated as Lily when they broke up. Addison understood the circumstances surround the separation, but never forgave Lily's mother for tearing them apart.

"I know you were Addie, you tried to slip William a Xanax at our wedding so I could go find Rufus." Lily laughs, getting lost in the memory.

"Hey, I thought I was being a good maid of honor. You almost took me up on my offer," Addison jokes.

"Having of known then what I know now, I should have let you."

"Well, that doesn't matter, as long as you and Rufus are together,"

"Yeah," Lily says and forces a smile, which doesn't go ignored by Addison.

"What's wrong Lily?" Addison asks. Lily shakes it off,

"Nothing, tell me about Wisconsin. I can't believe you left the best city in the world for the cheese capital of the United States." Lily says and makes a disgusted face.

"Hey, you know that I never belonged here. I wasn't raised like you,"

"Thank god for that, I don't know how I survived CeCe. That woman is insane," Lily and Addison share a laugh as a waiter comes to their table.

"Can I get anything for you ladies?" The waiter asks.

"I'll have the Alaskan King Crab," Addison orders and gives the waiter her menu.

"I will try the Lobster with butter please," Lily hands the waiter the other menu.

"That will be right up," The waiter says and leaves the table.

"So, tell me all about the Midwest," Lily says.

"It's been good. Mark and I bought a new house closer to his job. Meredith just started high school and Christina loves her junior year so far," Addison informs Lily.

"I can't believe your daughters are so big! The last time I saw them they were in middle and elementary school." Lily says as she is looking at a picture on Addison's Blackberry.

"I can't believe you are having a baby! You must be so excited!" Addison exclaims.

"I am," Lily says trying to sound enthusiastic.

"Okay Lily I know when something is up. What is going on?" Addison asks.

"Rufus and I had a fight, I don't know what's going to happen between us," Lily says as their food is being set down in front of them. They thank the waiter and start to eat.

"What happened?" Addison asks.

"I found a note in his pocket from some girl thanking him for coming to see her. Also, my son Charles showed me a picture of them having lunch together. When I confronted him about it, he didn't really try to defend himself." Addison puts her hand over Lily's to show support.

"Lily, I don't think Rufus would cheat on you, he loves you."

"I know, but he came close to cheating on me once before,"

"Exactly, _came close_. I am sure my husband has come close to cheating on me too. The important thing is that Rufus didn't and told you about it." Lily furrows her eyebrows in confusion and takes a bite of her lobster.

"Addison, I told Rufus that I didn't trust him and I meant it." Lily argues.

"Look Lily, as your best friend I am entitled to take your side, but I am going to side with your adorable husband on this one." Lily glares at Addison and takes a sip of her sparkling water.

"Before you stab me with that lobster fork, I would like to offer you a suggestion," Addison pauses to gage Lily's reaction, "I am aware that you are doubtful of Rufus, but I think that you should consider hearing him out. I am sure that he has a valid explanation as to why he was having lunch with this girl. And besides, part of being in a successful marriage is letting yourself give someone else the benefit of the doubt; it shows that you really love that person. If I am wrong and he is cheating on you, then you will find even more satisfaction in kicking his unfaithful ass out. Anyway, what I am trying to say is try to put your claws down and trust that your husband isn't pulling a fast one on you."

Addison finishes her little speech and takes a large gulp of wine. Lily is silent for a bit, mulling over what Addison just told her.

"Have you ever thought of going into marriage counseling?" Lily jokes.

"Well, I have helped you out five times now so I will have some experience if I ever get fired from my job," Lily rolls her eyes and eats the last bite of her lobster.

"To be fair four out of five times you were fighting a lost cause,"

"William wasn't all bad, just psycho,"

"That's probably why my mother liked him so much, she saw some of herself in him," Addison laughs and requests the check from a waitress passing by.

"I forgot to ask, how is the pregnancy going?"

"Good, I had some bad morning sickness, but it went away about three weeks ago. Now I am just waiting to look like a beached whale,"

"Shut up, you will look great. On the bright side, you have access to the best maternity clothing in the world."

"That is a plus, I bet all Wisconsin has is the maternity section in Kohl's," Lily can't resist a jab at Addison's new home stead.

"Very funny Lil, I prefer Target actually, they are cheaper." Lily and Addison pay for their separate bills and request their coats.

"I would ask you out for a cocktail afterwards, but considering the fact that you are knocked up, it would be inappropriate." Addison jokes and puts her coat on.

"Sorry Addie, I will have to take a rain check, maybe the next time you are in town?"

"Or you could come to my neck of the woods," Addison suggests.

"I don't think drinks at the local Applebee's are really my thing. The closest I will get to Wisconsin is when Rufus watches a Packer highlight on TV."

"Suit yourself; it just gives me another excuse to come back here. Bye Lily and let me know what you do with that man of yours," Lily nods and hugs Addison goodbye.

Lily takes the limo back to the penthouse, thinking about what Addison said. She has an epiphany; the only person standing in the way of their marriage to Rufus is her. Lily is so scared of being hurt by another man that she is pushing away the only one she has ever truly loved away. The only way to get passed the fear is to allow herself to be completely vulnerable to Rufus more than she has been to anyone else.

"We are here Mrs. Humphrey," The driver says and walks around to open the door for her.

"Thank you," Lily hands him a tip and takes the elevator upstairs to the penthouse. She slips out of her outfit and into pajamas. Lily pours herself a glass of grape juice and sits down on the couch. As she flips through her phone, Lily works up the courage to listen to the voicemail from Rufus. Her heart softens when he tells her that he misses her. That is what she needed to hear to make her decision; tomorrow she is going to talk to him. Feeling content with her choice, Lily heads to bed.

The next day, Valentine's Day, Lily wakes up on Rufus' side of the bed. She is wishing that he will be there with her tonight instead of the empty space. Lily runs a hand over his pillow and stops herself. _There is no time for that Lily, get up_, her mind says to her body. She pushes the covers off herself and heads right into the shower. After breakfast Lily grabs her burnt sienna Marc Jacob's bag and tells her driver to take her to Fifth Ave. She is bound and determined to find Rufus the perfect Valentine's Day gift as part of her apology.

The only problem is Rufus isn't exactly an easy person to shop for. His Christmas gift was purely by accident, she just happened to stumble upon an old photo of him when she was feeling nostalgic about her photojournalism days. The one thing she knows that Rufus loves above all else is music. Music is the safest route to go when selecting a gift for him. Unfortunately, she already bought him a guitar so her options are kind of limited.

She sends out a text to Dan and Jenny desperately asking for any sort of inkling into Rufus' gift. Dan texts back suggesting getting aniPod for his father. Lily thanks him and curses herself for not thinking of it before. Rufus is always asking to borrow hers when he goes out for walks. She walks across the street to Apple's flagship store and buys a white, 32GB iPod touch.

Rufus is sitting in the loft holding Lily's Valentine's Day gift in his hands debating on whether to go talk to her or not. Depending on how their conversation goes determines whether Rufus gives her his gift. He wants to give it to her but they have to make up first. Growing tired of sitting around waiting for Lily to call, Rufus picks up his jacket off the floor and takes a taxi to the penthouse.

Lily saunters out of Apple feeling confident and ready to talk to Rufus. She informs the driver that she would like to go to Rufus' loft in Brooklyn. The driver does as he is told and walks her to Rufus' door. Lily uses the spare key under the mat and lets herself in. She is immensely disappointed to see that Rufus isn't there.

Arriving at the penthouse, Rufus is ambushed by Vanya at the front door.

"I am sorry Mr. Rufus, Ms. Lily isn't here," Vanya says solemnly. Rufus sighs and puts his hand to his forehead.

"Did she say where she was going or when she would be back?" Rufus asks.

"No, I am sorry," Rufus nods and takes the elevator up to the penthouse anyway. Rufus sits on the couch in the living room and calls his wife.

Lily hears her phone vibrate in her purse and hesitates to pick it up. However, considering that it might be one of the kids, she searches through her purse for her phone. She gasps when she sees that it is Rufus calling her.

"Rufus where are you?" Lily asks.

"I am at the penthouse, where are you?" Lily chuckles to herself,

"I am at the loft wondering where you were. I wanted to see if you wanted to talk because I miss you," Lily admits and stands up to leave.

"I would love to talk, but not over the phone. Do you want me to come to the loft or do you want to come back here?" Rufus asks.

"Stay there and I will come to you," Lily declares and hangs up before Rufus can argue with her. She runs as fast as she can back to the limo, which in heels isn't very fast.

"Isaac, I need you to get me back to the penthouse as fast as you can," Lily orders, using her driver's first name to show that she is serious. Isaac nods and starts the car, not even bothering to open the door for Lily. Weaving through Manhattan traffic, Isaac drops her off at the penthouse in record time.

Lily brushes past Vanya and jabs at the elevator button, ready to take the stairs if need be. Stepping off the elevator, Lily takes in the aroma off Rufus' famous chili.

"I see you made yourself comfortable in the kitchen again," Lily states as she is putting her stuff down.

"I figured after four days without my cooking you would want my chili. Plus, I didn't want my child to starve," Lily rolls her eyes and sits down at the counter.

"My darling there is other stuff in this world to eat besides waffles and chili," Lily jokes and blushes when she uses a term of endearment instead of his name. She didn't mean to, but it's a force of habit. Luckily, it goes unnoticed by Rufus as he scoops the chili into two bowls.

"I know that we still need to talk, but I was hoping that we could enjoy lunch first," Rufus says and sets the bowls down at the table.

"Sure, that sounds good," Lily takes a seat next to him and dives into her chili. Rufus holds back his laughter at his wife wolfing down his chili like she hasn't eaten in forever. He gives Lily an "I told you so" look followed by a smile.

"I guess I missed your cooking more than I thought," Lily explains and pushes away her empty bowl.

"Well hopefully there is more where that came from," Rufus says and sets his spoon down.

"Rufus, I am sorry for saying I didn't trust you, I was too caught up in thinking the worst. And although you still haven't told me what you were doing, I have decided to jump in with both feet and have faith that whatever it is will turn out to be great for us." Lily says with conviction.

Rufus is astounded, he is well aware of how difficult that was for Lily to do, to put her complete trust in someone else without knowing every aspect of the situation. He is elated at her progress and kisses her fervently.

"What changed your mind?" Rufus asks after breaking the kiss.

"I had dinner with Addison last night and she talked some sense into me,"

"I knew I always liked that girl, I should send her a thank you gift."

"I am sure she would appreciate that, I was pretty hard on her last night,"

"Well, I want to tell you about Chelsea, if you want to hear it," Lily anxiously nods and prepares herself for the worst.

"Just be prepared to pack a bag if I don't like what you have to say," Lily warns and points to the coat closet.

"Chelsea is a travel agent that was helping me with this," Rufus pulls out an envelope from his pocket and hands it to Lily. Lily opens the envelope and gasps.

"Two tickets to Hawaii for two weeks from today?" Lily squeals and double checks the tickets to make sure.

"I know how much you wanted to go there for the honeymoon we never got to have and I thought now would be the perfect time. I didn't mean to go behind your back Lil, but I wanted it to be an absolute surprise." Lily jumps in his lap and frames his face with her hands.

"Thank you," Lily kisses him fully on the lips, "I," kiss, "love," kiss, "you so much," kiss. Lily gets off of his lap and snatches the Apple bag off of the floor.

"This really doesn't compare to what you just got me, but here," Lily hands him the bag and sits back in his lap.

"An iPod! Thank you Lily it will be perfect for the plane ride to Hawaii," Rufus says and gives her a few kisses of his own.

"Oh my god, we are going to Hawaii!" Lily exclaims and kisses Rufus once more.

**A/N 2: I wrote and rewrote several versions of this chapter, I hope everyone likes this one. Obviously next chapter is them getting ready and going to Hawaii. Thank you for reading and please leave a review on your way out. **


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Welcome back to my story! I am honestly disappointed that I didn't get that many reviews, but based off of what I heard, Gossip Girl isn't a fan of Rufus/Lily anymore. Too bad, I still am so you will keep getting updates in my story. Also, this chapter is a little more explicit than my previous ones; I hope you all don't mind. **

**Chapter Eight**

_Two more days until I am in Hawaii_, Lily thinks to herself as she rolls over in bed to face her still sleeping husband. She cannot believe that he surprised her with this trip. Lily feels a little guilty that it almost tore them apart, but what matters is they worked it out in the end. The past week and a half was all about them getting back to their secret free and loving marriage. She smiles softly and leans over in bed to plant a kiss on Rufus' lips.

"Good morning," Lily says as his eyes begin to flutter open. Rufus returns the kiss and Lily straddles him.

"Morning," Rufus mumbles and rubs his eyes. Lily runs her hands over Rufus' naked chest and chastely kisses his cheek. Rufus smiles at the darkened look of lust in his wife's eyes. Ever since their makeup on Valentine's Day their marriage has been stronger than ever. Rufus also loves the fact that Lily "thanks" him every day for the surprise trip to Hawaii. He doesn't know if it is pregnancy hormones that are making Lily desire him more or the fact that she wants to celebrate their new repaired marriage, but it doesn't matter. Rufus is milking this new side of his wife for all that its worth.

"How did you sleep?" Lily asks while planting light kisses on his face.

"Great, yourself?" Rufus asks, wondering why they are having polite conversation when they could be doing something more productive.

"Good," Lily passionately kisses Rufus, who is the first person to break away from the kiss. Lily frowns and gazes at him questioningly.

"Is there something wrong?" Lily asks and rolls off of him.

"No, but Jenny and Eric are still here. After what happened yesterday I thought we should wait until we are absolutely sure everyone is gone before we…you know…" Lily furiously blushes and puts a hand over her mouth to cover her smile.

"It's not our fault, we didn't hear them come in," Lily tries to defend herself.

_Lily comes up behind her husband in the kitchen and wraps her arms around his waist. He turns and faces her,_

"_Can I help you with something?" Rufus asks with a smirk on his face. Lily doesn't respond and kisses him instead. Rufus intensifies the kiss and pulls her closer._

"_Let's take this upstairs," Lily says breathlessly and grabs Rufus' hand. Lily and Rufus walk hand in hand upstairs to their bedroom kissing the whole way. Rufus collapses on the bed taking Lily down with him. _

_Meanwhile, Eric and Jenny step off the elevator with their bags in tow. They drop their bags and look around for their parents. _

"_They said they would be home when we got here," Eric says to Jenny who shrugs. Before Jenny responds, they hear Lily moan loudly from upstairs. Jenny and Eric's eyes widen as they hear Rufus moan in return._

"_Oh no, not again," Eric sighs and shakes his head. _

"_I got this E. DAD! LILY! WE'RE HOME!" Jenny bellows and takes a seat on the barstool to wait. Upstairs, Lily stops when she hears Jenny yell. _

"_Oh my god the kids! They must have heard us…" Lily can't continue and she buries her head in Rufus' chest. Rufus strokes her hair, trying his best not to blush._

"I wonder if Eric is still avoiding eye contact with me," Rufus muses. Lily laughs and stands up to slip her robe on.

"We should probably have breakfast with them before they have to leave," Lily suggests.

"I would rather stay in bed with you," Rufus whines and makes no attempt to get out of bed.

"I know but we have five days to spend together however we like. Plus, we always complain to the kids how we don't see them enough, we can't ignore them while we are here, can we?" Lily asks. Rufus throws the sheet off of him and puts his robe on.

"I guess you are right," Rufus says and gives her a peck on the lips.

"Come on, let's go make our kids breakfast," Lily grabs his hand and takes him down to the kitchen. Rufus makes waffles and bacon while Lily works on the eggs and toast.

"What are you feeling like today?" Rufus asks Lily, brushing a hand over her stomach.

"I think we want waffles," Lily says and gives Rufus another kiss.

"Oh god, no more kissing!" Eric exclaims as he and Jenny stroll into the kitchen.

"Sorry, Eric did you want waffles?" Rufus asks. Eric nods and pours himself a glass of orange juice.

"Okay, I have a plate of waffles for you Jenny. My lovely assistant is almost done with the eggs if you want some," Rufus says as he piles some waffles on a plate.

"No, but I will take some bacon when it's done," Jenny grabs the plate from her father and sits down at the table next to Eric.

Rufus and Lily move around each other to finish making breakfast. Rufus makes their breakfast last, stacking their plates high with waffles.

"Thank you," Lily accepts the plate from Rufus and kisses him on the cheek. Rufus winks at her as they sit down at the table.

"Thanks Rufus for the waffles, they are delicious," Eric says and shoves a forkful into his mouth.

"No problem, do you guys need a ride to the train station?" Rufus asks.

"Yeah dad that would be great," Jenny says and offers a genuine grin at Rufus. After a really rough patch with his daughter, Rufus is glad that they are getting along. He thought he lost her for good after the whole Damien and William incident, but Jenny has proved that she is maturing. She has fixed things with Lily and Serena and is showing that she wants to a part of their growing family.

"We should leave after breakfast, I have a paper that still needs to be written," Eric says.

"That's fine, are you guys all packed?" Rufus asks. Both Jenny and Eric gesture over to their bags on the couch.

"I am going to stay, I have some errands to run before our trip," Lily says.

"Alright, I should be back in a half an hour or so," Rufus says as he is collecting his plate.

"I'll clean up darling, don't worry." Lily takes the plate from him and sets it down on the counter. She then places her hands on his hips and gives him a goodbye kiss.

"Mom, what about us?" Eric asks teasingly and walks over to his mother and stepfather. Lily kisses and hugs Eric first, then Jenny. Rufus helps with their bags and leads them into the elevator.

While Rufus is gone, Lily picks up the remains of their family breakfast. She is always happy to see her children, biological or step, but it's nice to have the apartment to just her and Rufus. They don't have to worry about anyone hearing something they shouldn't or barging in. Soon, they will have a new baby to take care of together. Lily beams and heads up to the master bedroom to start packing.

Rufus arrives back at the penthouse in just under a half an hour. Traffic was light and the train arrived on time.

"Lil, I'm back!" Rufus yells to no response. Rufus looks around the penthouse, he is certain that she is still here. She would have called if she was stepping out. Shrugging, Rufus walks upstairs to their bedroom. He is shocked to see his wife's wardrobe scattered around the room. Normally Lily's wardrobe is organized by color, by designer or both. Rufus tracks the clothes to her side of the closet and finds his wife staring intensely at a brown v-neck t-shirt. Suddenly, Lily huffs and throws it over her shoulder. Rufus laughs and catches it, not seeing why she threw it in the first place.

"Uh Lily, what are you doing?" Rufus asks. Lily jumps and spins around, embarrassed by the mess she made.

"Packing," Lily answers simply and takes another shirt off of a hanger.

"No, you are throwing your overpriced clothing around our bedroom."

"Well, I was looking for some summer clothes to wear on our vacation, but I can't find anything to pack,"

"No offense Lil, but most of those clothes won't fit you anyway," Lily looks down at her stomach and hangs her head in defeat.

"You are right," Lily whispers.

"Hey, don't be upset. It's just another excuse for you to go shopping," Rufus uses his finger to lift her chin up so she can meet his eyes. Lily visibly brightens,

"We can go shopping together!"

"I have clothes to wear Lil," Lily raises her eyebrows and points to his side of the closet which is mostly plaid long sleeve shirts. Rufus flashes an adorable smile at Lily,

"You could just be an amazing wife and pick stuff out for me,"

"I already am an amazing wife."

"How about this? I will go shopping with you without complaining if you buy some sexy bikinis for our trip,"

"Rufus, I am almost five months pregnant!" Lily exclaims and points to her swollen abdomen.

"So? You are still extremely sexy," Lily blushes and gives him a thank you kiss.

"What do you say we put the packing off until tomorrow and finish what we started this morning?" Rufus asks her as he kisses her neck. Lily drops the useless article of clothing in her hand and throws her head back.

"Take me to bed," Lily whispers and backs out of the closet with Rufus. He continues to kiss her exposed flesh as he lowers her down on the bed.

"That was fantastic," Lily says while cuddling with her husband.

"Of course it was," Rufus jokes and kisses the top of her head. Lily shakes her head and laughs.

"I am curious, what are we doing in Hawaii?" Lily asks.

"It's a surprise," Rufus tells her and watches her face transform into a pout.

"I thought the trip was the surprise," Lily says and makes her best puppy dog face at Rufus. Rufus almost succumbs to his wife, but then remembers he doesn't have anything planned. He can't let her know that of course, she will just scold him for not planning ahead.

"I am sorry my love, you will just have to wait three more days. I promise you it's worth the wait," Rufus says and checks the clock on the bedside table. "As much as I would love to lie in bed with you all day, I have to meet your daughter for coffee."

"I wish I could come with you, but Charles needs me to sign off on something. Knowing him, it's probably strippers to keep him busy at work," Lily jokes. Rufus shakes his head,

"Blair better be careful with him,"

"Charles means well," Rufus nods and climbs out of bed, searching the floor for his boxers. Lily disappears into the bathroom to get herself ready for the day.

"Call me when you are done and we will do something nice for dinner," Lily tells Rufus an hour later outside of the apartment complex.

"I will, tell Chuck I said hi," Rufus opens the car door for her. Lily gives him a chaste kiss before climbing inside. After the car leaves the curb, Rufus hails a taxi to take him to the Starbucks in downtown Manhattan.

"Hey Serena," Rufus gives his stepdaughter a hug before sitting down.

"Hey, where's my mom?" Serena asks and takes a sip of her chai latte.

"Chuck needed her approval on something so she couldn't make it."

"Probably more strippers," Serena mumbles.

"Your mother said the same thing. I was kind of hoping that Lily couldn't come because I need your help with something."

"What?" Serena asks, not liking where this conversation is heading. She heard from Chuck about their fight before Valentine's Day and assumed that they made up. Serena is scared that Rufus is asking her to hide something from her mother which she isn't willing to do.

"I surprised your mother with a trip to Hawaii and am having trouble planning fun things for us to do. I figured since you have traveled more with Lily you could give me some tips." Serena's slight frown turns into a fully fledged grin. Out of all her mother's husbands or boyfriends, none of them have taken the time to plan a trip customized for her. They always assumed that Lily liked cruising aimlessly around the French Rivera or gambling in Monte Carlo while they went off to do business. Serena appreciates Rufus consulting with her; it shows how much he loves her.

"Well I am happy to help. I know that she loves to lay on the beach with a good book. My father told me that's all she did on their honeymoon," Serena advises and tries not to get mad when Rufus cringes at the mention of William.

"Okay, anything I should stay away from?"

"Do not take her in a water vessel of any kind unless it is a cruise ship. Also, my mother isn't really big on the nature aspect. I would keep the hikes through the forest to a minimum unless she suggests it." Rufus nods, mentally taking notes.

"I was thinking about a helicopter tour over the island," Rufus suggests.

"Eh, you would have to get her opinion on that. I definitely wouldn't surprise her with that; she might not react in the best way. My advice would be to just keep it simple and don't overdo it. Mom likes the simple things, all of her other husbands tried to do big things and I think she ended up being turned off by it." Serena explains.

"Right, keep it simple. Thank you Serena, I really value your opinion," Rufus says.

"No problem, I think you guys need to take this trip after everything that has happened,"

"I couldn't agree more. How are you doing?"

"Good, I am just trying to figure out what I want to do. It's harder than I thought,"

"Hang in there, you will figure it out. If not, I am sure your mom would love for you to come live with us," Rufus teases.

"As much as I don't want to, I am going to have to say no," Serena jokes and laughs.

"Well, I am going to go put your advice to good use. It was so nice seeing you and let me know when you are free for dinner. I am sure Lily would love to see you," Rufus stands up and gives Serena a hug.

"No problem, have fun and remember keep it simple," Serena points a finger at him and smiles. Rufus smiles back and waves goodbye, dialing Chelsea on his way out.

"Hey Chelsea, its Rufus Humphrey, do you have time to meet?" Rufus asks into the phone.

"Sure, come by my office for a quick meeting," Chelsea responds.

"Great, thanks," Rufus hangs up and hails a cab.

At Bass Industries, Lily is trying and failing to pay attention to an associate's presentation. She doesn't understand why she has to listen to them talk when she already approved their ideas. Her mind drifts to the conversation that she had with Rufus after they made love. She desperately wants to know what Rufus is planning for their trip to Hawaii. Lily doesn't think she can wait two days to find out, but she doesn't want to snoop around on the off chance that Rufus will get angry at her.

In order to do this correctly, she must get Rufus to tell her willingly. The only sure fire way that Rufus will tell her is if she seduces him. A smirk spreads across Lily's face as an idea forms in her head. She will try her best to make Rufus a romantic dinner and turn up the charms a little.

"So I take you like the presentation Lily?" The suit asks her. Lily realizes that her smirk is visible and she turns it into a smile.

"Yes, I think that will increase our numbers ten-fold," Lily smoothly covers her minor slipup and pushes back her chair.

"Great, I will talk to Research and Development to get this off the ground," Lily shakes the businessman's hand and grabs her coat.

"Nice to see you Charles," Lily kisses Chuck's cheek and exits Bass Industries. She tells Isaac, her driver, to take her to Trader Joe's to pick up some groceries. Her knowledge in the kitchen is very limited, but she does know how to make some pasta. Plus, who can screw up a salad in a bag? Lily picks up a few general items and pays for her purchases. The driver takes her back to the penthouse and Vanya carries her bags upstairs.

"Thank you Vanya, do you think Rufus will like the food?" Lily asks nervously.

"Of course Mrs. Humphrey, I always see Mr. Rufus eating," Lily giggles and gives Vanya a tip. She takes the necessary ingredients out of the paper bags and gets some water boiling.

Rufus leaves Chelsea's office feeling satisfied. He purchased a helicopter tour of the Hawaiian Islands with assurances that it is completely refundable. He explained to Chelsea that he isn't sure how Lily will respond to a helicopter and she understood.

Rufus takes a taxi back to the penthouse and says hi to Vanya who warns him that Lily is upstairs cooking. He is shocked and tells Vanya to have the fire department on standby. Sure enough, Rufus steps off the elevator and smells the beginnings of dinner. He spots Lily reading the directions on a box of pasta with a frown on her face.

"Need some help there Lil?" Rufus jokes. Lily glares at him and shakes her head.

"Nope, I am doing just fine by myself thank you. Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes," Rufus squints his eyes in suspicion at his wife cooking. Normally Lily prefers take out or going out to a home cooked meal. Maybe that's because she can't cook worth a damn. The few times they actually cook Rufus insists in cooking for her. He tells her that it is a man's job to feed his wife, but in actuality he is afraid that Lily will poison him.

"I am going to take a quick shower," Rufus excuses himself upstairs. Lily barely acknowledges him and goes back to reading the box. When Rufus comes downstairs after his shower, he sees that Lily lit some candles and is in the process of making plates for them.

"Thank you Lil," Rufus says and takes a plate from her.

"Don't thank me yet, you haven't tried it," Lily quips and sits down next to him.

"Still it's the thought that counts," Rufus takes a bite and shrugs, it isn't all that bad.

"So, how was coffee with Serena?"

"Good, we talked,"

"Any topics in particular?" Lily asks nonchalantly.

"Okay Lil, what is this dinner for and don't just say because you felt like cooking. We both know that isn't true," Lily sighs and drops her fork.

"I was hoping that you would tell me about Hawaii,"

"That's what I figured. Well the reason I met Serena was to ask for her input on things to do."

"Why didn't you ask me?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise. I booked us a helicopter tour,"

"Is it safe?" Lily asks referring to the baby.

"Completely and it's refundable if you don't want to do it."

"Hmm, we will have to see," Rufus nods with understanding and finishes off his dinner.

"Thank you for making dinner Lil, I actually enjoyed it," Lily takes a sip of her water,

"I am somewhat of a decent cook, my mother would be impressed."

"What do you want to do with the rest of our night?"

"I was thinking a movie? I didn't make desert," Lily says sheepishly.

"It's okay come on, let's go upstairs," Rufus extends his hand to Lily who takes it. Rufus then reaches down and picks her up in one swoop.

"Put me down!" Lily tries to say but she is laughing too hard. Rufus takes her upstairs and lays her gently on the bed.

The next morning Rufus is woken up by Lily dropping a pillow on his head. He groans and uses his arm to swat the pillow away before falling back asleep. Lily lets out a frustrated sigh, it's already ten and she has a lot to do before they leave tomorrow. Lily quickly uses the bathroom and reenters the bedroom. Rufus is back to lying on his back so Lily climbs on top of him and blows air in his ear.

"Alright I am up," Rufus says and opens his eyes.

"Good, get ready we have a lot of shopping to do," Lily says and gets out of bed.

"No kiss?" Rufus pouts and sticks his lips out. Lily laughs and leans over to meet his lips.

"Let's go, Bendels is waiting," Lily says and disappears into the closet to find her outfit for the day. They get dressed separately and eat breakfast together before heading to Fifth Avenue. Rufus tries to keep his complaining to a minimum for Lily because hasn't stopped smiling since they left the penthouse. Usually Rufus' wardrobe consists of t-shirts from his rock and roll days or whatever he orders online. Unlike a lot of the people in Lily's social circle, Rufus refuses to wear a suit unless Lily is dragging him to an event.

"Okay you need some polos," Lily mutters and walks him over to the Polo Ralph Lauren section in the men's department.

"I like that one and…the green one," Rufus says gesturing to a navy blue and olive green polo.

"Perfect, let's get black and then gets some shorts," Lily throws the shirts into her basket. Lily makes Rufus get three pairs of khaki shorts, two jean shorts, two beach themed swim trunks, two pairs of flip flops and a pair of nicer sandals.

"My turn," Lily yanks on his hand and they walk over to the maternity section. Rufus groans and bites his lip in order to keep his comments in.

"Don't worry, I will be quick," Lily says and Rufus loses her in a blur of color. He sits down on the brown leather randomly placed in the middle of the maternity department and waits for his wife to come back. Lily returns twenty minutes later with shirts, cami's, sun dresses and shorts in every shade of color on the spectrum.

"Wow, that was quicker than I thought," Rufus says and takes some the clothes from her.

"I know and I even found a suit to try on for you," Lily says and shows him a simple black one piece.

"How about that one over there," Rufus points to a purple string bikini on the other side of the aisle.

"I'm not sure I will be able to fit in that," Lily says solemnly.

"There's only one way to find out," Rufus takes the lead this time and brings her over to the swimsuit section. Despite Lily's protests Rufus convinces her to try on three bikinis in red, purple and brown.

"Alright, since I promised I will try these on for you. Just don't be surprised when you don't like them on me," Lily takes the swimsuits from him and grabs a dressing room. Rufus sits outside of it and waits for Lily to come out. After waiting a good fifteen minutes he knocks on the door.

"Lily, everything okay in there?" Rufus asks.

"I'm not coming out," Lily says back.

"Come on Lil, it can't be that bad,"

"Is there anyone else out there?"

"No, it's just the two of us," Lily relents and opens the door. Rufus licks his lips at the sight of his wife in the blood red bikini. Her abdomen is finally taking a more rounded shape, jutting out past her breasts.

"I look ridiculous," Lily complains.

"I think you look absolutely gorgeous," Rufus says and rubs her belly.

"Are you sure?" Rufus nods and kisses her neck. Lily's breath hitches and she backs away before things get too heated.

"Alright, I will buy this one and the black one piece. Just give me a minute to change back into my normal clothes," Lily closes the door and reemerges two minutes later holding the suits.

"Do you have everything you need?" Rufus asks.

"I hope so,"

"There are malls in Hawaii Lil, we can always pick up more stuff if we need to," Rufus jokes as they are paying for their clothes. Lily shoots him a look and signs for their purchases.

"Trust me, I will be doing a lot of shopping while we are there," Lily and Rufus grab the bags from the saleswoman and take the car back to the penthouse.

"Can you carry the suitcases up for me? I am going to start packing," Lily asks and points to the closet. Rufus rolls his eyes but does what he is told. The couple packs and spends the rest of the day lying around the penthouse.

"What time is our flight tomorrow?" Rufus asks as they get in bed several hours later.

"We leave JFK at 5 in the morning. I am not looking forward to an 11 hour flight," Lily responds.

"I can think of things we can do," Rufus wags his eyebrows up and down mischievously.

"Goodnight Rufus," Lily says and kisses him.

"Just a suggestion Lil," Rufus says and kisses her forehead before turning off the light.

At one thirty in the morning the alarm on Lily's iPhone cuts through the silence of the night. Lily rolls out of Rufus' arms and blindly shuts the alarm off.

"We just went to bed," Rufus says and turns to face Lily.

"I know, but at least we are going to Hawaii," Lily turns the lights on in their room and goes into the bathroom to change. Rufus reluctantly gets out of bed and also changes. Lily comes out of the bathroom wearing jeans and a baby pink t shirt with no makeup on.

"Can you grab our suitcases?" Lily asks Rufus.

"Of course," Rufus says sarcastically and picks up a suitcase in each hand.

"Hey I am carrying your child here, cut me some slack," Lily says and takes the tickets from the nightstand. Rufus smiles at her over his shoulder and carefully walks down the stairs. Lily follows and calls the car. They take the elevator downstairs and Vanya loads their luggage into the trunk of the town car.

"Have a nice trip Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey," Vanya says sincerely.

"Thank you," Lily hands him a twenty and climbs into the car. They arrive at JFK and wait around the airport until it's time to board. Finally at quarter to five, Rufus and Lily take their seats in first class.

"I can't wait until we land," Lily says and squeezes Rufus' hand. Rufus kisses her cheek and keeps a firm grip on her hand.

"American Airlines would like to welcome you on flight 532 bound for Los Angeles…" The voice over the speaker says.

"Here we go," Rufus whispers to her as she lays her head on his shoulder.

**A/N 2: That is all for now! Next chapter they arrive in Hawaii and have some fun! Reviews help so much. Thank you for reading.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hello and welcome back! Thanks for all your reviews, I appreciate them. Just to let you know, this chapter is far more explicit than previous ones, so feel free to skim over the dirty parts. Also, I have never been to Hawaii, so please forgive me if I got any of the details wrong. Enjoy!**

**Chapter Nine**

"Look Rufus, Hawaii!" Lily exclaims and giggles like a child as she points out the airplane window. Rufus leans closer to Lily in order to see the breathtaking Hawaiian landscape become clearer as the plane descends. Rufus smiles at the elation on his wife's face and kisses her cheek. He is proud of himself for thinking of this trip, they haven't even landed yet and Lily is already happier than he has seen her in a while.

"Come on, let's go," Lily says once the plane touches down. Lily snatches her Birkin bag off the ground and loops an arm through Rufus'.

"Slow down Lil, we have five days!" Rufus laughs at Lily's enthusiasm. Lily doesn't say anything and politely pushes through the crowd towards the exit. As they step off the plane, both Rufus and Lily are given leis.

"We just leid," Lily says as Rufus they enter the airport.

"My wife just got leid by another woman, I think that is pretty hot," Rufus jokes and leads her to the baggage claim. Lily smirks and rolls her eyes, pretending not to be amused by Rufus' joke.

"Those are our bags!" Lily points to a standard black suitcase and a Louis Vuitton one. Rufus yanks them off the aisle and sets them on the floor. They roll their suitcases out of the airport and catch a taxi.

"Where to?" The taxi driver asks Lily and Rufus. Lily glances over at Rufus expectantly; she has no idea where they are going.

"The Grand Wailea please," Rufus orders and winks at Lily. The cab driver whistles,

"Very nice choice, I am guessing you two are on your honeymoon?"

"Yes, my husband surprised me for Valentine's Day," Lily says and rubs Rufus' thigh.

"You won't be disappointed, that is the best resort in Hawaii, hands down." The driver says with confidence.

They pull into the hotel around ten o'clock Hawaiian time. Lily is immediately blown away by what she sees. The resort is very well kept with beautiful ocean views all around the complex.

"Here is your luggage, have a nice stay," The taxi driver says to the couple. Rufus thanks him and hands him a twenty dollar tip. Rufus, guiding Lily with his free hand on her back, leads her into the hotel lobby.

"Wow Rufus, look at the chandelier! We should get one for the apartment!" Lily squeals and whips out her iPhone to take a picture. Rufus looks up at the chandelier in the center of the lobby and has to admit that it is spectacular.

"Hello, checking in for Humphrey," Rufus says to the elderly woman behind the desk.

"Ah, Mr. Humphrey, you requested the honeymoon villa, is that correct?" The woman asks.

"Yes, if there is one available," Rufus takes out his credit card and sets it on the table.

"Of course," The woman swipes Rufus' credit card and hands him a room key.

"You have villa number 11, which is down the left wing all the way to the end. Do you need help with your bags?" Rufus looks questioningly at Lily who shakes her head.

"No, I think we will be okay, thank you though."

"Of course, enjoy your stay and don't be afraid to call with any questions you might have," Rufus gives one last thank you and Lily starts walking down the hallway to their room. Rufus catches up with her and grabs her hand.

"Prepare to me amazed my love," Rufus swipes the key card and swings open the door.

"Rufus it's amazing!" Lily cries as she does a panoramic view of the villa. Lily and Rufus step further into the room and admire the full size kitchen that bleeds into a cozy family area. The sliding glass door leads out to their private entrance to the beach.

"Let's go see where we will be spending most of our time," Rufus takes Lily's hand and leads her upstairs, their bags abandoned. On the second floor there is a master bedroom with a bathroom connected to it. The bathroom is mostly marble and has a Jacuzzi tub with jets. There is another sliding door with a balcony complete with a seating area in case they wanted to eat breakfast outside.

Lily is happily surprised at what she sees. She honestly expected Rufus to put them in a rundown hotel like the ones they used to sleep in when Lincoln Hawk was touring. She didn't expect him to go all out for this trip, but is delighted that he did.

"What do you want to do first?" Rufus asks as he kisses her shoulder. Lily turns around and makes a guilty face.

"As boring as this might sound, I would really like to take a nap. I really didn't get a chance to sleep much on the plane,"

"That's fine; we have the rest of the day to spend however we want to," Rufus kisses her to assure her that he is okay with that idea. Lily and Rufus take off their shoes and climb into their California king, letting sleep overtake them.

Rufus wakes up two hours later and goes downstairs to the kitchen to see what he can make for them. He spots pancake mix and the ingredients to make buttermilk pancakes. He makes two large ones for each of them, coffee for himself and herbal tea for Lily. He loads the items on a tray that he finds in the cabinets and goes back upstairs. Lily is just starting to wake up and grins when she sees Rufus carrying a tray full of food.

"You're wonderful," Lily whispers and takes her food off the tray to help Rufus.

"Thank Lil," Rufus kisses her.

"Thank you for making breakfast, or lunch," Lily glances at the clock which reads half past noon.

"No problem, what should we do with our day?" Rufus asks.

"The beach has been calling my name ever since we got here. I would really love to spend the day there if you don't mind," Lily says as she polishes off her pancakes.

"That sounds fun as long as you wear the swimsuit I bought you," Rufus wags his eyebrows down mischievously.

"No promises," Lily puts her plate back on the tray and asks Rufus to bring their bags up. Rufus takes the tray down and the suitcases up. Lily and Rufus rummage through their own suitcases to find their suit and any other items they might need for the beach.

"Lil we are literally steps away from the beach if you forget something. That is why I rented this place for us," Rufus explains as he sees Lily load sundries into a separate bag.

"Just for that remark, I am wearing the black suit today," Lily jokes and snatches the suit off the bed before locking herself in the bathroom.

"Oh come on Lil, I was kidding!" Rufus yells and starts changing into his beach themed Billabong suit.

"Too late!" Lily yells back from the bathroom. A few minutes later, Lily opens the door with a towel in her hand. Although it is a one piece, Lily still looks gorgeous. Her growing abdomen is slightly less pronounced, but still maintains a rounded curve.

"Damn, you still look hot," Rufus pouts and hands her the beach bag. Lily laughs,

"I am going to take that as a compliment," Lily grabs his hand, takes him downstairs and through the sliding glass door. The beach is relatively crowded so they are forced to lay their towels down in a semi-shaded area several feet from the water. Lily lathers the sun block on her and then on Rufus.

"Thank you honey," Rufus says and gives her a quick peck on the lips.

"Welcome," Lily says and feels Rufus wrap his arms around her.

_This is it Lily, you finally found marital bliss. Now don't screw it up! _Lily thinks to herself as she is laying her on the beach with the man she has loved for over twenty years and is now expecting their child together. It sounds too clichéd and cheesy for Lily to even verbalize to Rufus, but there is nowhere she would rather be. It has taken her countless failed relationships to reach this point and she is determined to actually follow the death do us part of their vows this time.

"What are you thinking about?" Rufus asks, cutting into her thoughts.

"You, on the beach in a speedo surfing the waves," Lily lies, not wanting to give herself away just yet. Rufus buys her lie and squeezes his arms around her.

"That can be arranged on a later date. Right now, I just want to lay here with you," Rufus whispers in her ear. Lily melts into his embrace and closes her eyes. They spend most of the day laying out and walking near the ocean. Rufus grabs her hand and drags her into the water despite her protests.

"Rufus it's cold!" Lily squeals and tries to wiggle out of Rufus' grasp. Rufus dunks her in the water and brings her back up again. Lily coughs and tries to catch her breath. She glares at him and shakes her head. Rufus realizes that he is in deep shit and tries to run away. Lily chases after him and jumps on his back, dunking his head under the water.

"Alright, let's go clean off and get dinner," Lily says as Rufus is trying to regain his breath.

"Fine, just know that you will pay for that later," Rufus says back and takes her hand, bringing her back to their stuff. The couple makes the short walk back to their villa and spend the next hour getting ready for dinner.

"Lil, where do you want to go to dinner?" Rufus yells to her from the bedroom.

"Uh, I don't know, somewhere close?" Lily yells back and finishes putting her baby pink flowing sundress. She steps out of the bathroom and does a twirl for Rufus who is licking his lips.

"There is a restaurant in the lobby, does that sound good?" Rufus asks and kisses the back of her neck.

"Or we could get room service," Lily whispers.

"But you look so cute in that dress, I want to show you off," Rufus puts his hands on her hips.

"Fine, just as long as you get to take my cute dress off later," Lily says back and pulls away from him, grabbing her Zara clutch that matches her dress. Rufus winks at her and they leave the villa, heading downstairs. They have to wait a few minutes for a table, but given a nice seat by the window.

"The beach is so much prettier at night," Lily says and points to the Christmas lights draped lazily on the palm trees. The waiter comes by and they order drinks.

"So, what do you want to do tomorrow?" Lily asks and places her hand over his.

"I booked the helicopter tour for tomorrow," Rufus reminds her. Nervousness flickers across Lily's face and Rufus intertwines their fingers. Lily feels guilty that she is making Rufus feel bad about doing such a nice thing for them.

"Lil, I know you are scared, but I will be there. Plus, we can get some great pictures to show our kids," Rufus tries to convince her.

"Alright, but if I throw up on you, it's not my fault," Lily jokes as their food is being set in front of them. Rufus rolls her eyes and they dig into their meals. After dinner, Rufus is eager to get Lily back to their room.

"Since you were so nice to plan this amazing trip for us, I want to do something nice for you," Lily says to him as they walk back into their villa.

"Oh yeah, what?" Rufus asks innocently.

"I will be right back," Lily leaves him downstairs and she runs to her suitcase pulling out a plum teddy with lace detailing.

"Rufus come upstairs!" Lily shouts and positions herself on the bed. Rufus bolts upstairs and his darken with desire as he sees his wife waiting for him.

"You look so hot," Rufus whispers and passionately kisses her.

"These…need…to…get…off," Lily says between breaths and tugs on his clothing. With Lilly's help, he sheds his shirt, pants and boxers.

"My turn," Rufus says in a husky voice and slowly takes off her teddy. He starts kissing the exposed area, working his way down to her panties. He slides her black lace panties off and throws them off the bed.

After they have sex, Rufus and Lily fall asleep in each other's arms, having different emotions about the next day. They wake up early and Rufus makes them breakfast which they enjoy on the balcony overlooking the beach. Lily manages to steal the bathroom first to get ready, making Rufus dress in their bedroom. They take a taxi to the helicopter tour place located in the heart of Maui.

"Please tell me we are not getting on that thing," Lily whispers to Rufus and points to a rundown helicopter.

"I am not exactly sure at this point to be honest," Rufus admits sheepishly and glances around, looking for anyone that could help them. He notes the paleness of Lily's face and curses himself for thinking of this idea. Maybe it's not too late to turn back.

"Hi, are you the Humphrey's?" An overweight Hawaiian asks as he steps out from behind the helicopter.

"Yes we are. My name is Rufus and this is my wife Lily," Rufus introduces them and shakes the man's hand with his own that isn't wrapped around Lily's waist.

"It's nice to meet you. I am Kai and welcome! Please step inside the helicopter," Kai opens the door for them and Rufus steps inside first, dragging a reluctant Lily by the hand.

"Don't worry Mrs. Humphrey, I have only crashed a few times," Kai jokes and winks at Lily before shutting the door. Lily blanches and feels Rufus wrap his arm around her, holding her close.

"He was joking Lil, we are going to be fine," Rufus whispers to her and kisses the crown of her head.

"I am not so sure," Lily whispers as they are taking off.

"Do you have your camera?" Rufus asks, looking for anyway to distract Lily.

"Oh yeah, it's in my bag," Lily says and starts digging through her sky blue Marc by Marc Jacobs hobo purse. Rufus smiles to himself, he can't believe it was that easy.

The tour goes by rather quickly, with Kai adding memorized tidbits about what they see as they pass over it. Lily takes multiple pictures through the window of the volcano, mountains and other scenery. She flips the camera around and motions to Rufus to smile.

They land safely on the ground an hour after departing.

"Thank you Kai for the lovely tour, I got some amazing pictures," Lily says and gives Kai a hug. Rufus also thanks him and hands over a ten dollar tip.

"Have a great trip in Hawaii! Oh, and recommend me to all your friends!" Kai yells out to them as they are loading into a taxi.

"We will!" Lily yells back and closes the door behind them. They tell the taxi driver to take them to the hotel.

"So, what do you want to do now?" Rufus asks and opens the door to the villa.

"I was thinking that we could have a picnic on the beach," Lily says with excitement.

"That sounds fun. Should we order room service?" Rufus asks to which Lily shakes her head.

"No, I am sure we can make something for ourselves," Lily states and starts opening the fridge. Rufus hangs back, waiting for his wife to admit that he was right. Lily refuses to do so and ends up putting two sandwiches, two bottles of water and some chips into her beach bag.

"All set, I just have to go change into my suit," Lily heads upstairs and Rufus surveys what she packed. Not ideal, but they can go out for a nice dinner afterwards if they wish. Lily comes downstairs wearing the red two piece she bought in New York. Rufus grins in appreciation and kisses her before going upstairs to change into his suit.

Lily puts a few more things into the bag while waiting for Rufus. She flips through the pictures and decides that she is happy that they went on the helicopter tour. As much as it freaked her out in the beginning, it was worth it based on the pictures she took.

"I like the pictures. Are you ready to go?" Rufus asks, suddenly appearing at her side.

"Yes, can you grab the bag, it's too heavy for me to carry," Lily bats her eyelashes at him and points to the overflowing bag on the counter.

"Lil, we aren't moving to the beach we are just going to be there for a few hours," Lily rolls her eyes and saunters out of the villa with Rufus behind her. They find a semi quiet spot on the beach to set their stuff down on. Lily starts unpacking while Rufus lays down the towels. She hands him the sandwich she made for him and the water then she sits down to enjoy her own food.

They eat in a comfortable silence, mostly looking out at the water and the various other people on the beach.

"Do you remember the last time we had a picnic?" Rufus asks. Lily swallows her bite and nods.

"I convinced you to skip your meet and greet because I saw a beach on the way up to the concert. That was a great night,"

"How could it not be? That was the first time you admitted that you loved me after I desperately tried to get you to say it,"

"Well if I remember correctly you were about to shove the pie I made you in my face if I didn't say it."

"You wanted to Lil, don't deny it," Lily blushes and pretends to play with the sand.

"Well regardless, we are here now, twenty years later," Lily says softly and leans over to kiss Rufus. Lily pulls away suddenly and digs through her bag, searching for sun block.

"Is the sun block in here?" Lily asks as she starts taking things out. She finds it and brings it out triumphantly. She opens the bottle, but Rufus snatches it out of her hand.

"Hey, give that back!" Lily reaches over to try to take it back, but Rufus is faster.

"Allow me," Rufus squeezes a dollop of sun block in his hand and starts rubbing it on Lily's stomach. Lily relaxes into his touch and closes her eyes. Rufus applies the sun block to her exposed flesh and asks Lily to put sun block on him. Lily agrees and does what is asked of her. Lily returns the sun block back to the bag and kisses Rufus. Rufus escalates the kiss by wrapping his arm around her, pulling her as close as her abdomen would allow.

"Rufus we can't…" Lily says breathlessly, motioning to the crowded beach. Rufus understands, maybe sex on the beach would be acceptable when they were twenty, but not when they are nearing their forties.

"Fine, but I will have you later," Rufus promises and casts a longing gaze at the people surfing. Lily catches his yearning look before he can tuck it away and puts a hand on his shoulder.

"If you want to surf, go ahead. I brought a few magazines to keep me busy," Lily shows him her _Cosmo _and _Vogue _and points to the surf board rental shack located further down the coast.

"I'll be back later Lil," Rufus gives her a goodbye and walks over to the shack. Lily flips through her magazine while watching her husband paddle into the open water. A part of her is nervous that something will happen, but she knows from experience that Rufus is a seasoned surfer. He would always drag her to any beach they could find while touring. Lily complained, but she really didn't mind because she knows that it made Rufus happy.

She puts down her magazine, unread, and takes out her camera. Lily snaps a couple shots of Rufus surfing before she pockets the device, not wanting her husband to see her taking pictures of him. Overall, Rufus does well for not having surfed in almost ten years. He comes back to their spot on the beach, dripping wet.

"Did you have a nice surf?" Lily asks as Rufus sits next to her. She hands him another towel to dry off with and sips her water.

"Yeah it's always fun. The water is pretty warm if you want to swim," Rufus informs her.

"Nah, I like the view from here. Besides, it's getting pretty late," Lily shows him the time on her iPhone which reads half past four.

"Oh crap, we have to go. I have something reserved for dinner at five thirty," Rufus and Lily hurriedly pack up their stuff and get back to the room.

"Do you want to shower first or canI?" Rufus asks.

"Do you mind? I take longer to get ready than you," Lily points out.

"True or we could shower together," Rufus suggests.

"We both know that if we do that than we won't make whatever you have planned," Lily gathers her clothes and walks past Rufus, planting a teasing kiss on his lips.

They leave the hotel and take a taxi to an upscale restaurant on the other side of Maui. The couple gets out of the cab and is seated near an empty stage. Lily scrunches her eyebrows together in confusion and silently asks Rufus what is going on. Rufus shakes his head and orders them some shrimp and salmon to share.

"Don't worry, you will find out soon enough," Rufus says as their drinks are set down in front of them. Lily narrows her eyes at Rufus and sips on her drink. By the time the food comes out, the lights in the restaurant are dimmed. Music starts playing and Hawaiian girls dressed in the typical coconut bras and grass skirts trickle out onto the stage.

"A luau, what a good idea!" Lily says and locates her camera deep inside her Birkin purse. Rufus and Lily eat while keeping their eyes glued to the dancers.

"You should go up there and dance," Rufus jokingly suggests. Lily laughs and shakes her head.

"Darling, you don't dance in Versace." Rufus does a once over of Lily's silk, sapphire, off the shoulder Versace gown and his eyes darken. Lily ignores the obvious leering on Rufus' part and focuses on the dancers. Out of the corner of her eye, Lily spots a fire breather heading their way. Lily decides to act like she didn't notice the man and turns her head. Slowly, the fire breather sneaks behind Rufus and blows fire a safe distance from him. Rufus jumps and whips around looking directly at the fire. Lily snaps a picture of the sheer terror etched on Rufus' face.

"You are going to pay for that Lil," Rufus says and winks at her.

"I hope so," Lily says and rubs her leg against his.

"Don't start something you can't finish _sweetheart_," Rufus hisses.

"Wouldn't dream of it _honey," _Lily quips and brings her leg farther up his. Rufus tries to resist with every fiber in his being,

"Unless you want everyone to see what is under that dress, I would return your leg back to your side of the table," Rufus whispers to her. Lily teasingly withdraws her leg and innocently glances around the restaurant. The dancers are returning to the stage as the luau is drawing to a close.

"Let's go, _now," _Rufus emphasizes as he stands up. Lily smirks at him and follows him out of the restaurant and into an awaiting taxi. They manage to keep their hands off each other until they arrive back at the villa. Rufus kisses her zealously as he closes the door behind them. Lily breaks away to tease him further.

"You wait here, I'll call you when you can come up," Lily gives him a parting kiss and leaves him downstairs. Rufus is stuck, rooted to the ground. He isn't sure whether he should ignore Lily and go upstairs or wait to see what is up her sleeve. He decides that he shouldn't risk pissing Lily off; he wants to get lucky tonight.

Meanwhile, upstairs Lily searches the bathroom for items to make a bubble bath. In the medicine cabinet, she finds these rainbow colored spheres called bath bombs. She shrugs, places a few bath bombs into the Jacuzzi and starts running the water.

Downstairs, Rufus becomes even more perplexed when he hears the water turn on. _What the hell is she doing up there? _Rufus thinks to himself.

Lily fills the Jacuzzi about halfway and slides out of her dress. She climbs into the tub and calls for her husband. Rufus walks upstairs and into the bathroom. His draw drops when he sees his wife naked and waiting for him in the tub.

"Well are you coming in or not?" Lily asks and smugly smiles at him.

**A/N 2: That's all for now! Next chapter is the second part of Hawaii and I promise you won't want to miss it. Please leave a review on your way out and thanks so much for reading! I am going to try and upload before the week is over so you won't have to wait long.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hello and welcome back to the second part of Hawaii. I appreciate the reviews, but I encourage everyone to leave one, I like to hear what you guys have to say. This chapter is a little graphic, but not too bad. Enjoy!**

**Chapter Ten**

_Lily fills the Jacuzzi about halfway and slides out of her dress. She climbs into the tub and calls for her husband. Rufus walks upstairs and into the bathroom. His jaw drops when he sees his wife naked and waiting for him in the tub._

_ "Well are you coming in or not?" Lily asks and smugly smiles at him._

Rufus doesn't need to be told twice, he quickly sheds his clothing and steps into the bathtub. Lily waves her finger at him and their lips meet in the middle of the Jacuzzi. Lily tilts her head to the side so Rufus can gain access to her neck. Rufus kisses from her earlobe to the bubble line cutting her body transversely.

"Mmmm…that feels so good," Lily whispers and closes her eyes, her skin igniting more and more with each kiss. Rufus backs away, fully enjoying the pout that is forming on his wife's face.

"Why did you stop?" Lily asks as her chocolate irises flicker open.

"I didn't want you to have all the fun," Rufus admits and kisses her cheek. Lily nods in understanding and moves closer to her husband. She repeats what he did to her, only a bit rougher. Nipping, biting and teasing, Lily succeeds in making her husband aroused.

"What do you say we move this to the shower?" Lily asks Rufus who shakes his head.

"Later, I want to move so I am behind you," Rufus requests. Lily moves forward a little as Rufus stands up and repositions himself. He scoots behind her and wraps his arms around her swollen abdomen. Lily melts into his embrace and contently sighs when she feels Rufus plant a kiss on her temple lovingly.

"I was thinking about the nursery," Rufus starts, but is distracted by a waft of lilac shampoo coming from his wife's hair.

"Yeah? What about it?" Lily asks and cranes her neck so she can look at his face.

"Where are we going to put it?" Rufus asks and slides his hands under hers, feeling their fingers intertwine.

"Well, all the kids are away at college, so we can pick whatever room we want,"

"Yeah but Lil, they are still going to want their own rooms back when they return for the summer," Lily groans and puts her head against Rufus' chest.

"Are you suggesting that we sell the penthouse for something bigger?" Lily asks, just wanting to hear him say it.

"I guess I am. What do you think?" Lily is silent, anxiously biting her lip.

"I love that apartment; I would hate to give it up. Besides, I am sure the kids will be finding their own places soon enough," Rufus is about to argue, but figures it's pointless. He understands Lily's love for the penthouse, she went through all that trouble picking out art and decorated every room the way she wanted it. However, now that they are married and expecting a baby, Rufus thinks that his opinion should at least be considered.

_There is no use upsetting her now Rufus; just bring it up again on a different day. _Rufus listens to his conscience and keeps his mouth shut. He knows if he pushes the issue, Lily will become upset. It would be unfair to anger Lily on their honeymoon, especially over something so trivial. They can discuss what to do with the nursery after they are told the gender.

"What do you say we get out of the tub? It's starting to get cold," Lily says to him, interrupting his train of thoughts.

"Sure, I don't want you to turn into a prune," Rufus smiles at her as they both stand up. Lily steps out of the bath first and retrieves a towel for both of them. They dry off, but make no efforts at getting dressed in their night attire. Lily casts a wayward glance filled with desire at Rufus. Suddenly, Rufus can't resist anymore, he picks Lily up and gently lays her down on the bed.

Normally, they take their time making love, slowly bringing each other to their climax. Tonight however, Rufus and Lily were overcome by desire for one another and frantically rushed to pleasure each other.

"Wow…" Lily mumbles as her chest heaves up and down.

"Wow…"Rufus repeats and wipes the hair matted to his forehead.

"We haven't done that in a long time," Lily whispers and kisses his cheek.

"Are you okay?" Rufus rolls on his back and places a hand on her stomach over the sheets.

"I am not complaining at all," Lily giggles and winks at him.

"Good," Rufus says as he is yawning. Lily yawns a second later and reaches for her robe at the end of the bed. She puts it on and hands Rufus his robe.

"Thank you," Rufus says and slips his robe on. They both get back in bed and turn the lights off. Lily scoots closer to Rufus who wraps his arms around her.

"Night Lil," Rufus whispers and kisses her silky blonde hair.

"Night," Lily mumbles and succumbs to sleep rather quickly.

Rufus wakes up first and tries to move in order to check the time. However, his wife's sleeping frame pressed up against him makes that impossible. With the arm Lily isn't sleeping on, Rufus grabs his phone off the night stand. It is just past ten in the morning, not surprising to Rufus considering how late they were up last night. He doesn't want Lily to be upset that she slept through the whole day, so Rufus stamps a kiss to her cheek, watching her eyes flutter open a minute later.

"Good morning," Lily says her voice thick with sleep.

"Morning, sorry to wake you, I just didn't want you to sleep the whole day." Rufus explains. Lily nods in understanding and rubs the dreams out of her eyes.

"Thank you," Lily rolls off Rufus' arm and tightens her robe.

"What did you want to do today?" Rufus asks while admiring her backside.

"I thought we could get some souvenirs for the kids," Lily requests, expecting Rufus to groan in protest.

"That requires us to go shopping doesn't it?" Rufus asks. Lily laughs and nods,

"I am afraid so, but we did promise the kids we would bring them something back, I would hate not to. Plus, I think I need some more suits, I don't want to keep wearing the same two over again," Lily adds, hoping this will sway Rufus in her direction. Rufus licks his lips and narrows his forest green eyes at her.

"Very clever, Mrs. Humphrey, you know I wouldn't be able to resist you in a bikini. However, I get to pick them out without any whining from you," Rufus demands. Lily rolls her eyes,

"Fine, just know that the rest of Hawaii will have to see me in whatever bikini you choose," Lily says and goes to use the bathroom. Rufus puts his boxers on and orders some room service for them. While waiting for the room service to arrive, Rufus and Lily get ready to go shopping. Lily puts on an eggplant sundress with black bandolino flip flops. Rufus picks out a Ralph Lauren navy blue polo with khaki shorts.

"Rufus can you get that? There is money on the table to tip him," Lily yells from the bathroom. Rufus allows the bellhop to roll the tray in and gives him money. Out of curiosity, Rufus asks the man where the best shopping is. The bellhop tells him that there is numerous shops right on the resort grounds, easily accessible from the villas. Rufus thanks the man and closes the door behind him.

"Lil the foods here!" Rufus shouts and begins putting the plates on the table.

"Be right down!" Lily shouts and finishes applying a thin line of ebony eyeliner. Rufus pours them some orange juice and waits for his wife at the table. Five minutes later, Lily enters the kitchen and sits down next to Rufus.

"That color looks amazing on you," Rufus compliments and hungrily eyes her sundress. Lily blushes and takes a bite of her pancakes.

"Thank you, I thought you would like it," Lily says when she is done chewing.

After breakfast the couple head to the shops at Grand Wailea. The shops are mostly tourist shops infused with high end shops rivaling Fifth Avenue. Lily and Rufus buy Jenny a seashell necklace and a baby blue sundress. Serena gets a matching seashell necklace and a burnt sienna sundress. Scott, Eric and Dan are given board shorts and Hawaii t-shirts. They pay for their purchases in a run of the mill tourist shop and walk out. As they stroll hand in hand through the mall, Lily spots a Gymboree. Before Rufus can protest she drags him inside, giggling like a little girl.

"Lil, we promised remember? Besides we only have a week to wait and then you can go crazy," Rufus tells her and wraps an arm around her waist, attempting to pull her out of the store. Lily is having none of it and breaks free of his grasp.

"I know, but look at these adorable onesies that say Hawaii on them. We can get a yellow one, please? What would be more authentic then getting a Hawaiian onesie in Hawaii?" Lily begs and shows the onesie to Rufus with a gigantic smile on her face. Rufus laughs at the euphoria emanating from Lily and can't resist.

"Alright, but this is the last one until we know okay?" Lily agrees and they stand in line. Rufus can't believe he allowed his wife to meander around their deal again, but he can tell she is just excited for what is probably going to be their last child together.

"Let me buy it Lil," Rufus whispers to her and pulls out his credit card. Lily drops her wallet back in her plum, over the shoulder, Gucci purse while shooting a thankful glance at Rufus.

"Thank you," Rufus hands her the tiny bag and puts a hand on her back, guiding her out of the store.

"We got gifts for all of the kids, now it's my turn to have fun. Where can you try on some suits?" Rufus asks in anticipation and does a once over of the shopping center.

"Well since you were so patient, I saw a maternity store on the directory on the way in, it has to be around here somewhere," Lily takes his hand and they start walking to the end of the mall. They find the Motherhood Maternity store and Rufus picks out four more bikinis for Lily to try on each more skin bearing then the other.

"Of course you would pick these," Lily shakes her head and accepts the suits from Rufus.

"There were no specifications, so I chose what I wanted to. Now go try these on," Rufus lightly pushes her toward the fitting rooms in the back. Lily disappears into a fitting room and tries them on. The first is a two piece floral bikini, the second is a maroon two piece, the third a magenta bandeau and the forth is a jet black one piece with cutouts on the side. Lily tells him to pick three and Rufus, not shockingly, picks the two pieces.

"What do you want to do now?" Rufus asks once they pay for the suits.

"I am kind of hungry and am craving some pizza," Lily admits.

"This craving thing, how long does it last?" Rufus jokes.

"Only for about four more months, give or take," Lily kisses his cheek.

"There is a California Pizza Kitchen somewhere around here," Rufus slips his fingers through hers and brings her to the restaurant. Lily orders a Hawaiian pizza for them to share without Rufus, who is in the bathroom. Rufus comes back and spots Lily in a corner table.

"You already ordered?" Rufus asks.

"Yup, sorry I was so hungry," Lily smiles at him.

"It's fine, just as long as you ordered something good," Rufus says. Lily bites her lip as the pizza is brought out to them. Rufus makes a face as he spots pineapple mixed in with the cheese.

"Seriously Lil, Hawaiian?" Rufus asks as Lily piles some slices on her plate.

"I couldn't think of a better time of having Hawaiian pizza than when we are in Hawaii," Lily says.

"That excuse worked on the onesie for the baby, not this," Rufus makes a disgusted face toward the pizza. Lily bites into her pizza and swallows.

"Sorry honey, you are welcome to order your own if you want to." Rufus acquiesces and puts some pizza on his plate. He hates to admit it, but it isn't that bad. He won't tell Lily that because then she would rub it in his face.

"How is the pizza?" Lily asks.

"It's okay," Rufus shrugs. Lily feels her iPhone buzz in her purse.

"Hold on, it might be one of the kids," Lily checks her phone and sees it's a text from Serena. "It's Serena asking how our trip is going,"

"Tell her about the new suits you just bought," Rufus tells her. Lily giggles and shakes her head,

"I don't want to traumatize my daughter," Lily admonishes him and texts Serena, thanking her for suggesting the helicopter tour. She puts her phone back and turns her attention to Rufus.

"Well, it's about two in the afternoon; I didn't make dinner reservations for the night so we have time to do whatever we want." Rufus tells her as they are wrapping up their lunch.

"I was thinking that we shouldn't let the suits that I just bought go to waste," Lily suggests.

"I like the way you think, let's go," Rufus slides out of the booth and extends a hand for Lily to take. She accepts his hand with a grin and they walk back to their villa. They change into their suits and enjoy a nice relaxing afternoon at the beach.

"The floral print looks gorgeous on you Lil," Rufus says and lies down on the towel next to her.

"I hope so since you picked it out," Lily tells him as Rufus wraps an arm around her.

"I could get used to spending everyday on the beach," Rufus admits.

"Me too, if only New York had this kind of weather,"

"Well, we can take as many vacations to tropical places as you like," Rufus tells her and kisses her temple.

"Great, we can go to Tahiti, Bora Bora, or Australia!" Lily says with excitement. Rufus laughs and looks down at her,

"We will have to see, a baby isn't the easiest to travel with," Rufus says and moves his hand to her belly.

"We could always have the kids watch him or her," Lily says.

"Sure, a week with Chuck will do our kid some good," Rufus says sarcastically.

"I was thinking the same thing," Lily jokes back and kisses him. They turn towards the water, not saying anything, just enjoying each other's company. Rufus hears Lily's deep breathing, indicating that she has fallen asleep against him. Rufus doesn't dare to wake her up; she just looks so peaceful. With his free arm, Rufus grabs the iPhone from the beach bag. He finds the perfect restaurant for them to eat at, a tiki bar in southeast Maui. Although it isn't what Lily is used to, she hopes that she will be flexible since they are in Hawaii.

"Hey Lil," Rufus says and shakes his arm that is wrapped around her. Lily stirs and stretches her back hurting from being in the same position for too long.

"Ow," Lily says and winces in pain. Rufus readjusts his hand that was on her shoulder to her back, which he rubs soothingly for her.

"Better?" Rufus asks her and removes his hand.

"Yes, thank you darling. What time is it?" Lily asks and reaches for her iPhone to check her messages.

"A little after four, I picked the perfect spot for us to have dinner," Rufus says with excitement. Lily raises her eyebrows in suspicion; her husband doesn't exactly have a good reputation for fine dining.

"May I ask where we are going?" Lily asks with fear.

"Nope, it is a complete surprise. Just know that you won't need any of your designer gowns tonight," This makes Lily more anxious, but she tries not to frown for Rufus' sake. They did what she wanted earlier today, it's time for her to do something for her spouse.

"Should we go get ready?" Rufus asks her.

"Yeah, will you grab the beach bag?" Lily asks as she collects their towels. Rufus nods and they go back to the villa. Rufus throws on some jean shorts with a classic rock t-shirt. Lily eyes her husband's wardrobe and tries to match his casual attire. She opts for jean capris and a jade v-neck.

"Are you ready to go?" Rufus asks loving her in more laid back clothes rather than the couture she normally has on.

"Yes, I am a little scared of where you are taking me." Lily admits and grabs the same bag she took with her shopping earlier.

"You don't have to worry, it's going to be fun," Rufus guarantees and leads her into an awaiting taxi. The car pulls in front of a sketchy looking bar in the center of a street surrounded by tiny shops.

"Are you sure this is where we are eating?" Lily asks Rufus nervously, not ready to hop out of the taxi just yet.

"Uh huh, it got great reviews on Trip Advisor. Come on Lil, we are Hawaii, let's be adventurous." Rufus rubs her thigh and pays the taxi fare. Sometimes Rufus misses Lily's wild side; she was always up for anything and everything when they were younger. He understands that they aren't in their twenties anymore, but he likes to see her spontaneous side emerge every so often.

"Lil, we should get out of the cab," Rufus gestures to the pissed off taxi driver. Lily tilts her head as if she is still contemplating whether to go inside or not. She can tell that Rufus went through trouble picking out this place so she climbs out of the car. Rufus smiles in victory and closes the door, sending the cab screeching away.

"This place looks…quaint," Lily manages and holds his hand as they step inside, staying close to him.

"Nice try Lil," Rufus laughs as they are seated at a booth away from the smoke.

"Rufus, we are in a bar, I am hoping that the baby doesn't develop lung cancer from all smoke in here," Lily complains and eyes the menu, finding nothing even remotely organic or healthy.

"Do you remember that night in Boston after the concert…?" Rufus trails off threading his fingers through Lily's.

"We got so trashed that we danced on the bar singing 'Don't You Want Me' at the top our lungs," Lily finishes the story for him and takes a sip of her soda. The waiter drops in and they order their entrees.

"If I recall correctly, it was your idea," Rufus teases.

"My idea? You said 'come on baby let's dance' and pulled me on top of the counter." Lily points the finger at him.

"You started singing first," Rufus points it back at her. Their food is places in front of them as they share a laugh.

"I couldn't resist, I really did love that song," Lily bites into her burger as Rufus smiles at her.

After dinner they take a cab back to their hotel and walk on the beach in the twilight.

"It's so pretty at night," Lily says as she sheds her flip flops near the waves. Rufus picks her up in one swoop and dangles her mere inches over the water. Lily screams and wraps her arms around Rufus' neck.

"Rufus, don't! I will divorce you!" Rufus chuckles and kisses her neck.

"You are getting heavy," Rufus says and plants her back on the ground. Lily swats at him angrily,

"Excuse me for being almost five months pregnant with _your_ child." Rufus kisses her pout away, an apology.

"Let's continue this upstairs," Rufus whispers in her ear.

"I can't believe I let you get away with that so easily," Lily wraps her arms around him and kisses him. He starts twirling her in a circle,

"You must really love me, don't you?" Rufus asks and kisses her again.

"Hmm…very much," Lily twirls with him and plants a feather light kiss on his lips.

"Let's go back to the room," Rufus kisses her one last time before grabbing her hand, leading her back to her sandals. She slips her sandals on and they hurry back to their honeymoon villa.

"I am going to change into something more…comfortable," Lily leaves him in the living room while she dashes upstairs. Rufus waits for her call and he goes into the bedroom. Lily is dressed in a scarlet teddy with black lace detailing.

"Come here," Lily beckons with her finger. Rufus takes a stride towards the bed where Lily is kneeling at the edge. She hungrily kisses him while helping take his shirt off. Rufus switches positions with her so she can be on top, not wanting her or the baby to get hurt. Never separating from each other, Lily tugs at his shorts. Rufus slides off his pants, his boxers coming with them.

"Let's get this off," Rufus says, out of breath as he begins taking her teddy off. He nips at her shoulder blade, making her moan and runs her fingers through his hair. The teddy falls onto the bed, revealing Lily's naked body underneath.

After they make love, Lily and Rufus fall asleep. Lily is starting to feel sad that their last full day in Hawaii is tomorrow. She has had so much fun reconnecting with Rufus; they are better than they have been since they got back together almost two years ago. Sure their first year of marriage almost broke them apart, but they were able to come out the other side.

Tomorrow is their last day in Hawaii and Rufus has a huge surprise up his sleeve for Lily. The only problem is that he is going against Serena's warning about placing Lily on a boat. He crosses his fingers that they will have a great final night. He feels Lily turn over towards him in her sleep. Rufus kisses her forehead and brushes a hand over her abdomen before succumbing to sleep.

Lily wakes up first at quarter past nine. She can hear Rufus lightly snoring from the other side of the bed and grins to herself. She decides to attempt to make Rufus breakfast. Lily slips on the wrinkled robe on the floor and sneaks downstairs to the kitchen.

She bites her lip, contemplating what to make. Lily isn't a master chef by any means, but she thinks she can handle making pancakes. Rufus is awakened by the scent of pancakes coming from downstairs. He shakes his head, wondering what the hell Lily is up to. He hurries to the kitchen where Lily is hovered over the pancakes waiting to attack with the spatula.

"Hey Lil," Rufus says from the counter, making Lily jump. Lily turns around and beams at him, walking over to give him a good morning kiss.

"Are you making us breakfast?" Rufus asks.

"I am trying to," Lily admits and kisses him on the cheek before wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Uh Lil, the pancakes," Rufus points to the stove where the pancakes are starting to burn.

"Shit," Lily swears softly and runs to the stove to turn off the burner. Rufus laughs, he rarely hears Lily cuss. She throws the pancakes in the garbage and rubs her face with her hands.

"Lily…" Rufus walks over to her and massages her shoulders. Lily buries her face in his neck and shakes her head.

"I appreciate you trying to make breakfast, but I think we can both agree that I am the better cook,"

"Fine, you win. I am sorry I burned our pancakes," Lily apologizes.

"Lil, it is our last day in Hawaii, what do you want to do today? Rufus asks, trying to distract her from the disastrous breakfast.

"I was thinking we could take a hike," Lily admits, surprising even herself.

"A hike? In the woods? Do you even own a pair of tennis shoes?" Rufus jokes.

"Yes, I do," Lily says defiantly. Rufus raises his eyebrows in disbelief, "I bought them the day before we left just in case."

"Well Lil, if you want to hike that's fine, but it gets pretty hot. I don't want you passing out," Rufus says with concern, putting his hands on both sides of her stomach. Lily loves when Rufus slips into father-to-be mode, she finds it so adorable.

"Don't worry, I only have a short attention span for nature, we won't be gone too long. What do you say we rent a car and stop for breakfast on the way?" Lily asks to which Rufus agrees. They go upstairs to get ready and then down to the lobby to rent a car.

The salesman gives them a Toyota Prius and directions to a nature trail that leads to waterfalls. They head out and stop at a local diner along the way.

"Let me know if you get tired okay?" Rufus says as they pull into the mouth of the trail. Lily nods and they get out of the car. They walk through the palm trees hand in hand, stopping to take pictures and marvel at the scenery around them.

"This is nothing like New York," Lily says, feeling so out of her element.

"I know, it's so beautiful," Rufus wraps an arm around Lily as she is taking a picture of an exotic bird. Lily stashes her camera in her bag and takes a sip of water while continuing on. They make the two mile hike to the waterfall; take a few pictures and head back to their car since Lily is starting to get tired.

"Well that was definitely worth it, even if my coach shoes got a little muddy," Lily says as she turns up the air conditioning in the car.

"I am glad you thought so, we got some really good pictures," Rufus adds as he drives back to the Grand Wailea. They arrive back fifteen minutes later and go back to the villa.

"Where do you want to do now? It's almost one," Rufus asks her as they walk into the villa.

"I was thinking lunch and then maybe a nap?" Lily says, feeling the effects of their long walk.

"Okay," Rufus agrees and dials room service. They share some ham with pineapple for lunch and then go upstairs to take a quick nap. By three, Lily wants to enjoy the beach one last time before they have to leave. Rufus convinces her to actually swim with him this time as long as he doesn't try to dunk her head under.

"I am going to miss being steps away from the beach," Lily says to him as they are drying off.

"Me too, but remember my promise," Rufus says and puts the sun block bag in the beach bag. Lily kisses him and loops her arm through his as they stroll back into the villa.

"So, where are we going for dinner?" Lily asks, glancing at the clock above the cabinet in the kitchen.

"I have one last surprise for you. So go upstairs and put on one of your couture gowns we have reservations at six thirty." Rufus tells her and lightly pushes her toward the stairs. Lily throws a teasing smile at him over her shoulder and disappears upstairs.

"Lil, we are going to be late!" Rufus calls upstairs an hour later. Lily readjusts her hair pin and snatches her purse off the bed before carefully walking downstairs.

"Woah," Rufus whispers and takes in the image of his wife walking downstairs wearing a fuchsia halter dress with criss cross diamond straps in the front, leaving her back bare. The gown is looser around the abdomen, making the baby bump less obvious to outsiders.

"You like?" Lily asks and does a twirl.

"I love," Rufus mumbles and almost calls to cancel his dinner reservation.

"You are looking pretty handsome yourself," Lily comments and loves the way the tailored, navy Armani suit looks on him.

"Shall we?" Rufus asks and offers his hand to Lily. Lily blushes and takes it. They take a taxi to a marina where a yacht is waiting for them.

"Rufus is that ours!" Lily exclaims admiring the vessel.

"For the night, yes, now come on," Rufus opens the cab doors and waits for Lily to get out before closing it. They board the ship and enjoy a four course meal customized by Rufus.

"This is so sweet, thank you," Lily says as she bites into her spare ribs and scallops.

"I thought it would be something different for our last night in town, even though Serena told me not to take you on a water vessel," Rufus admits. Lily laughs,

"I usually get queasy on open water, but I am doing okay for now,"

"Good, let me know if that changes,"

"I will," Rufus and Lily finish dinner and go downstairs.

"Rufus where are you taking me?" Lily asks as he grasps her hand.

"To here," Rufus says and points to a makeshift dance floor complete with a DJ.

"This is a little cheesy, even for you," Lily jokes.

"Ah come on Lil, can we just dance?" Rufus takes her hand and leads her to the middle of the dance floor.

"Fine, just because you went through all this trouble for me," Rufus gives the signal to the DJ who plays "How Will I know". Lily bursts into laughter as Rufus wraps his arms around her.

"I love this song, it has so many good memories for us," Lily whispers and she puts her head on his shoulder.

"Too bad this wasn't our wedding song," Rufus comments as they lightly sway to the music.

"Well our wedding didn't exactly go as planned," Lily removes her head and brings it back to look at his face.

"True, Georgina crashing it to reveal the secret about Scott wasn't ideal,"

"At least we finally got to know the truth,"

"Yes and soon he is going to have a little brother or sister,"

"Sister,"

"Brother," Lily argues back.

"Care to make a bet?" Rufus as the song is drawing to a close. Lily narrows his eyes at him and tilts her head. _I know that face, she is going to call my bluff!_ Rufus thinks to himself.

"Not now, later," Lily whispers. The song comes to an end and so does their time on the yacht. From the marina, they go back to the villa and celebrate one more time before falling asleep early since they have another early flight back to New York.

About four hours into the flight, Lily and Rufus are starting to feel restless. Lily turns to Rufus and puts a hand on his thigh.

"I just wanted to thank you again for planning this trip, I had a lot of fun," Lily says and kisses his cheek.

"Your welcome Lil, you know you could really thank me if you wanted to,"

"Oh well I know what you are suggesting and the answer is no,"

"I know with your pregnancy hormones you won't be able to resist me for long. Now come on, we can be quiet and it will be quick, I promise," Rufus whispers in her ear and nips it before pulling away. Lily's breath hitches and her eyes darken, officially losing the battle to control her body.

"Get up," Lily says and unbuckles her seat belt. Rufus follows and grabs her hand, leading her into the unoccupied bathroom. Immediately they start kissing and unbuttoning. Rufus licks her neck causing Lily to clamp down on her lip to prevent a loud moan from escaping.

"Are you trying to land us on the no fly list?" Lily asks as Rufus starts unbuttoning her shirt.

"Yes," is all Rufus says back and hoists her onto the sink counter. He unbuttons her blouse and grabs her breasts. Suddenly the plane has some unexpected turbulence and Lily falls off the counter.

"Oh my god," Rufus says and pulls off of the floor.

"The captain has turned on the seat belt sign, please return to your seats," The flight attendant announces over the intercom. Lily hastily re-buttons her shirt and smoothes a flyaway.

"You good?" Rufus asks to which Lily nods. Rufus yanks open the door to a reveal a pissed off priest waiting on the other end. Lily furiously blushes and squeezes Rufus' hand.

"Enjoy the rest of your flight Father," Rufus says and escorts Lily back to their seats.

**A/N 2: I hope you enjoyed this chapter because next chapter is going to get very…interesting? Dramatic? Let's go with both, please leave a review on your way out and thank you for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Thank you for all the kind reviews, I am glad you guys liked Hawaii; it was really fun to write. I am really excited about this chapter, I hope you guys like it. **

**Chapter Eleven**

"Can you believe that it has been a week since we got back from Hawaii?" Rufus asks and rolls over to face Lily in bed.

"It's so sad, I miss it so much," Lily says and frowns. Rufus brushes some loose tendrils of silky blonde hair out of her face,

"I know, but today is a special day," Rufus says.

"Oh and what would today be?" Lily asks, playing along.

"Today is the day that you admit that I was right about you having a girl," Lily rolls her eyes and shakes her head,

"No darling today is the day that Serena, Eric, Dan and I prove you, Jenny, Charles, and Scott wrong. I am most definitely having a boy,"

"Do you still want to bet on it?" Rufus asks challengingly.

"It's not in my nature, but why not? It is totally worth it if I win,"

"What are you willing to wager?"

"I think the winner gets to pick the name and the loser is on diaper duty for the first six months," Rufus raises his eyebrows at her questioningly,

"Lil, I have never seen you go near a baby, let alone change a diaper,"

"Rufus, I did raise two kids you know. I was a very hands on parent," Lily says with confidence.

"Uh huh," Lily swats him on the arm,

"Well luckily I don't have to worry about it since I will win,"

"How can you be so confident? Do you know something I don't?" Rufus jokes with her.

"No, I am just terrified of raising another teenage girl," Lily and Rufus laugh.

"Jenny and Serena have had some minor hiccups, but they turned out to be good kids," Lily gives him an "are you kidding me" look.

"Minor hiccups? Please, I needed Botox because of Serena's indiscretions,"

"We eventually turned Jenny and Serena around with a few slip ups along the way. It wasn't easy, but they are proving they are able to grow up,"

"Yes, I agree. I am just so excited to start decorating the nursery," Lily watches Rufus' face fall slightly, but he still holds onto his grin.

"I am going to leave that up to you Lil, I don't know anything about that kind of stuff," Lily tilts her head in confusion, Rufus made such a big deal about waiting until they knew the gender so they could do the nursery together. There has to be something wrong for him to have such a change of heart.

"What do you want for breakfast?" Rufus asks after noticing the faraway look in Lily's eyes.

"I am craving a blueberry muffin. Would you mind going out and getting me…us one?" Lily uses her puppy dog face she knows Rufus can't resist.

"I guess so, just because you are pregnant," Rufus kisses her before pulling back the covers. Lily sighs contently as Rufus goes into the bathroom to get dressed.

"I appreciate you!" Lily yells to Rufus. Rufus finishes getting dressed and comes back into the bedroom. He gives Lily a goodbye kiss and heads out to find his wife a blueberry muffin. Lily lazily climbs out of bed and gets dressed; all the while thinking of Rufus' odd behavior this morning. After putting her makeup on for the day, she goes to his office to do a little research. She flips through the desk, looking for any names or numbers that could raise a red flag.

Rufus comes back twenty minutes later with blueberry muffins, coffee for him and herbal tea for Lily. He is guessing that Lily is finishing up getting ready so he sets the food down on the table.

"Lil, your tea is getting cold!" Rufus shouts upstairs. Lily hears him and slams the desk door shut in frustration. She wants to keep looking, but Rufus will come find her if she doesn't come down for breakfast. So, Lily makes sure everything is how it was and walks downstairs.

"Thank you so much, you are too good to me," Lily cups his cheek and plants a kiss on his lips. Rufus pulls away from the kiss and puts a hand on her stomach.

"Anything for our child,"

"You get another kiss for that!" Lily exclaims and kisses him again.

"Our food really is getting cold," Rufus whispers against her lips. Lily takes the hint and sits down at the table with Rufus. During breakfast, Rufus' iPhone rings in pocket.

"Aren't you going to get that?" Lily asks, pointing to his pocket. Rufus checks it and puts it back in his pocket. Lily gives him a questioning look, Rufus always answers his phone.

"It's an 800 number, I don't like picking those up," Rufus lies and turns his phone on silent. Lily is starting to feel that apprehensive feeling again, but squashes it for now because nothing can ruin today for her.

"I just want to go shopping, when can that happen?" Lily asks excitedly.

"I am not sure, maybe after the appointment," Rufus suggests nonchalantly. Lily sighs and brushes her hand over his cheek, her face marring with concern.

"Are you okay? You seem a little off this morning," Rufus realizes that he is stressing her out and offers her a genuine grin.

"Yeah, I am just a little tired; you kept me up late last night," Lily blushes at the memory of them having sex on the couch, transitioning upstairs to the shower and finishing off in the bedroom.

"I don't remember hearing you complain last night," Lily says and raises an eyebrow at him.

"Trust me, complaining was the furthest thing from my mind last night. I am also nervous about today; I just hope that everything is fine with the baby." Lily's face softens and she puts her hand over Rufus'.

"I feel good and the amnio came back clean so we hopefully have nothing to worry about. I am just wondering how we are going to tell the kids."

"I know you didn't want them coming to the appointment, but we should have a family dinner tonight to celebrate," Rufus suggests.

"I love that idea and maybe they have some ideas about names,"

"It can't hurt to ask them, but when _I_ win, we are going to name our daughter Madonna," Rufus says just to annoy his wife. Predictably, Lily huffs and shakes her head.

"Rufus, I love you but there is no way that we are naming our child Madonna. Especially since you told me the story about how she almost made your list," Lily says, referring to the list they made of who they dated in the past. Rufus blushes and has a sip of his coffee.

"That was over twenty years ago Lil and nothing happened. Plus, you had some rockstars on your list if I recall,"

"I can assure you darling that Trent Razner and Slash have nothing on you," Lily says and takes the last bite of her muffin. Rufus puffs his chest out and flashes an adorable smile at Lily. Lily shakes her head and stands up to throw her muffin crumbs in the garbage.

"What time is the appointment?" Rufus asks her when she comes back into the kitchen.

"Eleven, we should probably go pretty soon," Lily responds and checks her watch seeing that it is almost ten fifteen.

"Alright, let's go," Rufus says. Lily grabs her purse and follows Rufus out the door. They take a car to the doctor's office and sign in.

"Over here," Rufus points to two open seats at the back of the office. They sit down and wait for Lily's name to be called. While Lily is keeping herself occupied with a magazine, Rufus checks his phone to see that he has three missed calls. Before he can check his voicemail, the nurse calls Lily.

"Come on," Lily grabs his hand and drags him to an empty exam room. The nurse weighs Lily and draws some blood before leaving.

"I don't see why they need blood from me every time," Lily complains and grimaces at the bandage in the crook of her arm.

"I think they just want to make sure that everything is staying consistent," Rufus pacifies her. Lily defiantly rips off the bandage and throws it in the trash.

"Lil, what are you doing?" Rufus asks when she returns to the exam table.

"It clashed with my outfit," Lily is wearing a simple indigo t-shirt with gray slacks. Rufus rolls his eyes at her and decides it is safer not to respond. He doesn't get the chance to anyway because Dr. Sutherland knocks on the door.

"Come on in!" Lily says and sits up a little straighter. The doctor shakes both Rufus and Lily's hand before sitting down on a rolling office chair in the corner of the office.

"Hello Mrs. Humphrey, how are you feeling?" Sutherland asks and clicks open her pen.

"Good, I am feeling good. Just excited to know what we are having," Lily says and subconsciously rubs her abdomen. Rufus winks at her and reaches over to entwine his fingers with hers.

"That is great; since you are twenty weeks we will be able to tell the gender. Now before we do that, I noticed that your blood pressure is a little high. It is nothing to be alarmed of, but it is something that we will have to watch very closely as your pregnancy progresses," Lily's grin falters ever-so-slightly and she looks at Rufus with concern.

"What can we do to make sure her blood sugar stays within normal range?" Rufus asks for them while rubbing her back soothingly.

"Good question. The best thing and pretty much the only thing you can do is remain as stress free as possible. I know that you have a position of authority at Bass Industries, is that correct?" Sutherland asks to which Lily nods, still unable to speak.

"Okay I am not asking you to give that up, but I think it is best if you become as little involved as possible until you have the baby. Let someone else hold the reins for a little while." Sutherland advises. Rufus can tell that Lily is immensely disappointed by what the doctor is telling them even if she won't say it. She loves the power and control she has at Bass, but certainly she couldn't put her and the baby's health over her job? He makes a mental note to talk to her later and make sure they are on the same page.

"Alright, I will find a suitable replacement as soon as possible," Lily mumbles and manages a miniscule grin. Rufus sighs in relief; this is what he wanted to hear from Lily.

"Great! I am going to get the machine so you two don't have to wait anymore," Dr. Sutherland excuses herself, leaving Rufus and Lily alone to talk.

"Do you think Charles will want to take over the company for me?" Lily asks him.

"Of course, he loves the power almost as much as you do," Rufus says and playfully nudges her.

"You are so mean to me," Rufus moves so he towers over her and leans in, his lips are inches from hers.

"You love it," Rufus whispers and kisses her. The knock on the door causes them to separate.

"Mr. Humphrey if you would move your chair closer to your wife that would be great. Lily, can you pull your shirt up please?" They both do what they are told while Sutherland boots up the machine and applies gel to the probe. Lily shivers when the wand makes contact with her skin. Rufus grabs her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Lily returns the squeeze and looks at the screen.

"There is your baby, you should start to feel movement soon if you haven't already," The doctor points to the faint outlines of the baby on the screen. Lily is slightly embarrassed that she feels herself starting to tear up, she never cried at any of her previous kids ultrasounds, why is this one any different? _Because you are finally having a baby with the love of your life, _her mind answers for her.

"Look Lil, the baby is waving at us," Rufus exclaims and gives her the most radiant smile she has ever seen. Lily wipes her eyes and sniffs before looking at back at Rufus.

"Do you want to know what you are having?" Dr. Sutherland asks to which both Rufus and Lily nod vigorously.

"Yes, I would like to see who won our bet," Rufus tells her.

"Who had boy and who had girl?" Sutherland asks.

"My daughter, son, stepson and I think it's a boy. My husband, stepdaughter and two stepsons think it's going to be a girl." Lily explains.

"Well I can tell you that Mr. Humphrey is right. Congratulations it's a girl," Sutherland says, turns off the machine and leaves the room, wanting to give the couple a private moment.

Rufus gives her a towel to wipe off the excess gel on her stomach and kisses her on the forehead.

"I knew I was right, I am so glad that we are going to have a girl this time," Rufus kisses her on the lips this time, elated by this news. Lily tries to pretend that she is upset that she lost, but can't, she is just too excited about having another baby.

"When she throws her first temper tantrum because you won't let her see some guy, I will remind you of this moment," Lily says.

"Can I come back in?" Dr. Sutherland asks from the other side of the door.

"Sure!" Lily yells back and the door opens.

"Okay, I just wanted to say that everything looks fine with the baby and please listen to my advice about taking it easy. I want to see you in a month unless anything changes. Don't hesitate to call me if you have any questions," Dr. Sutherland says goodbye and takes the sonogram machine with her.

"Since we know the gender now, can we please go shopping?" Lily pleads and sticks her lower lip out.

"How can I say no to that face?" Rufus asks and takes her hand as they walk out of the office.

"If you are lucky that face won't transfer over to our daughter," Lily quips and opens the door to the car.

"Something tells me I am not," Lily tells the driver to go to Petit Tresor, a high end baby store in downtown Manhattan.

"We should text the kids, telling them that they have to come to dinner tonight," Rufus says and pulls out his iPhone.

"Good idea, I want everyone to be there, especially Charles." Rufus texts his kids while Lily texts hers informing them that they all have to be at dinner tonight, no exceptions. Everyone responds with a yes except for Jenny who went to stay with her mother for the week. The car pulls to a stop in front of the boutique and they walk into the store.

"This stuff is so adorable!" Lily exclaims and walks over to a rack of baby girl dresses. Rufus hangs back and allows his wife to pick out whatever she likes, adding in his opinion when asked.

"Lil, don't you think it is too…frilly?" Rufus asks when he sees Lily inspecting a cotton candy colored lace dress.

"No, it's perfect," Lily throws it in with the ever increasing stack of onesies, dresses, booties and sweaters.

"Lily we don't want to buy too much, it might go to waste," Rufus points out and takes the pink sparkly Sperry's out of the basket.

"True," Lily acquiesces and begrudgingly takes out a few items. Rufus understands that she feels the need to buy everything for the baby because they aren't having a shower. They both agreed that since it is their second child together and they can easily afford everything they need, there isn't a reason to force everyone to buy a gift.

"Are you ready to go?" Rufus asks, noticing she picked up three more clothing items on the way back from returning the shoes.

"Yes and then we can go order some furniture," Lily says with excitement and hands the basket of items over to the cashier.

"Honey don't you think we should figure out where we want to put the nursery first before we start ordering furniture? It might not fit into whatever room we decide to put it in," Rufus points out to her as she pays the bill. Lily sighs in defeat for the second time today,

"I guess you make a good point, but let's get on that soon. If we have to custom order something it could take weeks," Lily thanks the saleswoman and they walk out of the store.

"I promise we will start putting the nursery together this week okay?" Rufus takes her bags for her so she can get into the car.

"Okay, do we need to make any more stops before going home?" Lily asks, checking her phone for the time.

"It's only a little past one and the kids aren't coming until six. Should we go see a movie or something?" Rufus asks.

"Sure, that sounds like fun," Lily says and instructs the driver to take them to the nearest movie theater. They see _Taken 2_ and then go back to the penthouse so Rufus can start cooking. Lily offers to help, but Rufus knows her cooking skills are limited, so he politely declines.

"I was thinking that we should tell the kids in a fun way about the gender," Lily says.

"What did you have in mind?" Rufus puts the turkey into the oven and goes over to Lily, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I'm not sure, maybe making a cake with pink batter inside?" Lily suggests.

"That could work, get on it," Rufus says and teasingly slaps her butt.

"I thought you said I couldn't cook,"

"Cooking and baking are two different things my love," Lily purses her lips and breaks out of Rufus' arms to see if they have cake mix.

"How can you make this pink?" Lily asks Rufus holding up a plain box of cake mix.

"Red food coloring dear," Rufus points to the kitchen cabinet behind her. Lily mumbles something incoherent and starts making the cake.

"I should have had this catered," Lily says while mixing the ingredients together. Rufus laughs; he loves the fact that his wife can't even make a cake.

"I am sure the kids will appreciate the effort," Rufus says even though both of them don't believe it.

"We better eat all of this cake,"

"If not, I am sure you and I can find a better use for it later tonight," Rufus dips his finger into the batter and wipes some on Lily's nose. Lily gasps and glares at her husband. Before she has a chance to retaliate, the elevator of the penthouse dings open.

"Mom? Rufus?" Serena asks, walking further into the penthouse. Lily is panicking; she doesn't want Serena to see the cake until it is done.

"Distract her for a few minutes while I put this is in the oven," Lily whispers to Rufus and points towards the elevator.

"Hey Serena, you are early," Rufus says and hugs his stepdaughter.

"Sorry, Blair and I got into a fight and I thought you guys wouldn't mind," Serena says sadly and sits down on the couch. Rufus sits down with her,

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

"Sure…" Serena says skeptically, Rufus never came across as the "tell me about your feelings" type to her. Serena starts venting to Rufus while Lily finishes up in the kitchen.

"Hi darling," Lily comes into the living room and gives Serena a hug.

"Hi mom, Rufus was just helping me with Blair drama," Serena explains and shoots an appreciative smile at Rufus.

"Yes, well if you will excuse me I have to go back to the kitchen," Lily switches places with Rufus and asks her daughter to tell her what happened. While Serena is giving the Cliff Notes version of her fight, Dan, Eric, Chuck and Scott all come into the penthouse. They all hug Lily and find a seat on the couch.

"Hi mom, how are you feeling?" Eric asks.

"I am great thank you for asking darling," Lily answers and kisses her son on the cheek.

"So, is it a boy or girl?" Serena asks, putting aside her own problems for now to focus on her family.

"I am not telling yet, that comes after dinner," Lily says. All of the kids start to protest, but Lily is firm; she didn't bake that stupid cake for nothing.

"Where is my dad?" Dan asks.

"He kicked me out of the kitchen, saying that I can't cook," Lily answers.

"Don't listen to her Dan," Rufus jokes and hugs all the kids except for Chuck, before taking a seat next to Lily, wrapping his arm around her.

"You aren't wrong Rufus, mom's cooking consists of having food catered," Serena says and winks at Lily. Lily crosses her arms in feigned annoyance. Rufus kisses her cheek, causing her to break out into a smile.

"Well dinner is just about ready so why don't we get drinks and head into the dining room," Rufus suggests. Everyone gets up, heads to the fridge to collect their drinks and then the kids start fighting over seats in the dining room.

"Why are we having another kid again?" Rufus asks Lily after hearing the kids bickering.

"I have no clue, but let's stop after this one," Lily says and grabs his hand, leading him to their seats. Dinner consists of everyone filling each other in on what is going on in their lives.

"Don't you have to talk to Chuck about something?" Rufus whispers in Lily's ear during dinner.

"Oh that's right, thank you for reminding me." Lily whispers back and asks Chuck to join her in the kitchen. Chuck is a little hesitant as he is not in good standing with the family right now.

"I know you are going to Prague next week, but I was hoping that you would act as interim head of Bass Industries for probably the next six months," Chuck is shocked, that was the last thing he thought Lily wanted to talk to him about.

"You are giving me the company? Even after the whole Jenny incident?" Chuck asks referring to the night him and Jenny spent together that has Rufus upset with Chuck.

"Well, Rufus isn't happy about it, but he doesn't get a say. You are my son and I love you. I don't fully understand why you did what you did, but it doesn't matter. Charles, I am fully confident that you will make me proud. I already talked to the board and they agree. If you want the position, it is yours. However, you are going to have to hold off on your trip until I can resume my duties." Chuck hugs Lily, a silent acceptance of the position.

"Come on, let's rejoin the dinner." Lily says.

"Actually, now that I am not going to Prague, I am going to see Blair. I want to try and patch things up," Chuck says and grabs his coat. Lily kisses his cheek,

"That is great Charles, I wish you luck," Lily bids him goodbye and rejoins her family dinner.

"Where did Chuck go?" Serena asks Lily.

"He went to talk to Blair,"

"Blair isn't going to want to talk to him, I can tell you that." Serena informs Lily. Lily shrugs and makes sure that everyone is done with dinner. They put their plates away and Rufus brings out the cake that Lily made.

"Okay, when you cut into the cake, you are going to find out the gender," Rufus says and hands out pieces to everyone.

"Jenny and I were right!" Scott says when he sees the pink batter.

"And since I was right, I get to pick the name with your guys' help," Rufus says. Girl names fly at Rufus from every direction, with him mentally creating a list of his top choices. Lily even joins in with a few suggestions of her own, hoping that Rufus will pick one of hers.

"Mom I have to say this cake is delicious, I am sorry I doubted you," Serena says.

"Thank you darling, I do get one right every once in a while," Lily jokes.

"Oh crap, I have to go, I was supposed to meet Elliot at nine," Eric says and kisses Lily goodbye.

"I have to go too, I promised Vanessa that I would take her to a movie tonight," Dan says, following Eric out. Scott and Serena are left, but they can tell that Lily is starting to get tired so they kiss their parents goodbye and take off.

"I am glad the kids took that well," Rufus says. Lily nods and yawns.

"We can clean this up tomorrow, take me to bed?" Lily asks.

"I can't carry you anymore," Rufus says. Lily laughs and grabs his hand, abandoning the mess on the dining room table.

"Have you decided on a name yet?" Lily asks between kisses.

"No, we will talk tomorrow," Rufus says and sucks on her neck, causing Lily to throw her back and moan loudly.

"Lil, I am running late for my meeting, I will be back later," Rufus says the next morning and gives her a kiss goodbye.

"I have the interior decorator coming over to plan the nursery," Lily reminds him as he is walking toward the elevator.

"Great, let me know how it goes," Rufus slips into the awaiting elevator. Lily and Rufus spend the next two hours locked in their separate meetings. Rufus comes back to the penthouse with lunch for the two of them.

"You got my favorite salad, thank you," Lily says and pecks him on the lips.

"I figured after working so hard today we would both be hungry," Rufus jokes and sits down next to her at the table.

"The interior decorator and I both agree that we should put the nursery in Chuck's old room. I don't think he is coming back to live here anytime soon after what happened with Jenny and it is the biggest room apart from the master bedroom." Lily says and shows him the rough sketches they came up with.

"I think the theme is a little too girly for my taste, but since we are having a girl, I guess it works." Rufus glances over the pink accented with black and white.

"Those were just the decorators ideas, I wanted to run things by you before we started doing anything," Rufus and Lily finish their lunch and transition over to the couch.

"This is great Lil. While I was out, I decided on the name for the baby. I know that I won the right to name our daughter, but if you honestly hate the name, we can negotiate."

"Okay, what is it?" Lily asks with anticipation.

"Alexandria Elise Humphrey," Rufus says and watches Lily's reaction.

"I love it, especially since the middle name was my suggestion,"

"You really like it?" Lily nods and starts kissing him.

"I...do…" Lily says and straddles him. The phone on the other end of the living room starts to ring which causes Lily to pull away from Rufus.

"Let it go to the answering machine," Rufus says and rejoins their lips.

"_Hello Mr. Humphrey this is Janice Egle from Egle Realty calling in regards to your penthouse. I have a few couples interested in putting an offer down, but would really like to see the place. If you could give me a call back so we can set up an open house that would be great. Thank you, bye." _

Lily breaks up their make out session once more,

"Why is there a realtor calling about the penthouse?" Rufus silently curses himself for not returning those missed calls on his cell phone earlier.

"Well, I was hoping that once you see that there are people interested in this penthouse that you might consider moving into a bigger place,"

"I told you in Hawaii that I wanted to stay here," Lily is trying her best not get mad at her husband, but he is making it extremely difficult.

"Exactly, you told me without even asking for my opinion,"

"So you went behind my back and tried to sell _my_ penthouse?" Lily asks without thinking about what she is saying. Rufus is taken aback and becomes angry at her.

"Just because I can't pay for this place myself, doesn't make it mine?" Lily rolls her eyes at him,

"Please, do not turn this around on me; I wasn't the one being shady,"

"No, but you are the one who is afraid to give up control,"

"Rufus, what are you talking about?"

"You said it yourself Lily, this is your place. Whenever we get into a fight, I pick up my toothbrush and go back to the loft in Brooklyn because you have the right to kick me out. I don't think you are willing to give up that power,"

"Don't be ridiculous, this is about you keeping secrets from me and doing whatever you want without consulting me first,"

"After what has happened this past year you are well educated in keeping secrets from your spouse," Lily's jaw drops at the coldness of Rufus' tone.

"I am not talking about that with you again. In fact, I don't really want to talk to you anymore at all."

"Fine, I am going back to _my _loft," Rufus brushes past her and heads upstairs to pack a bag. Lily remains rooted to the spot, mulling over the fight that just occurred. Rufus quietly sneaks past her and takes a cab to the loft in Brooklyn. Someone catches him leaving and sends in a tip to Gossip Girl.

**Mr. Lonely boy is seen making a hasty exit from the penthouse with his half priced luggage in tow. Sorry Serena, it looks like Lily is going to start looking for husband number six. I guess opposites don't attract after all, at least not on the Upper East Side. Stay tuned for more details, xoxo.**

Rufus arrives back at the loft, unaware of the blast that was just sent out. Dan is looking at his cell phone and then to his father who sets his suitcase down on the floor.

"What happened?" Dan asks and throws his phone to Rufus. Rufus reads it and puts his hand to his forehead.

"I don't want to talk about it. Needless to say, I am going to be staying here for the night or maybe longer," Rufus says and walks past Dan, heading towards his bedroom. Dan flinches when he hears the door to his father's room slam shut.

Back at the penthouse, Lily falls back onto the couch after having been standing in the same spot for the past ten minutes. She picks up the plans to the nursery that fell to the floor while she and Rufus were celebrating naming their daughter. She lightly touches the paper and feels a tear roll down her cheek. She brushes it away in frustration; she has every right to be upset with Rufus. He was the one who hurt her.

Lily throws the plans aimlessly into a desk drawer and smashes it shut. Right now, she needs to clear her head and weigh her options. The best thing for her to do is go upstairs and take a long nap. So she goes upstairs and does just that.

**A/N 2: This is probably my favorite chapter to date. Please, I implore you to review and tell me what you think about their fight. Also, I promise that Lily and Rufus will make up, but it proves harder than anyone could imagine. Stay tuned for a very lengthy and quick update!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Welcome back! Thank you for all the reviews, as always I encourage everyone to voice their opinion. Just for clarification, this chapter starts with makeup sex after Lily's birthday dinner (I am making her birthday happen in March) and ends at the beginning of Lily's birthday dinner. Please enjoy!**

**Chapter Twelve**

_March 14th_

There is a certain rhythm that couples follow. For Rufus and Lily, sex is gentle, smooth, spending time exploring each other's wants and needs. After two weeks of being separated, their sex, or rather make up sex, is rushed and passion filled. Their desire for each other increases ten-fold, leaving them gasping for air when they reach their climax.

"Oh…my…god," Lily says, her chest heaving up and down.

"We sure know how to make it up to each other," Rufus says and leans over to kiss her forehead.

"The way we have been fighting recently, I am not surprised."

_March 7th_

Rufus and Lily have managed to break their previous record of not speaking each other by three days. Since Rufus left a week ago, Lily has been barely sleeping or eating. Serena drops by the penthouse everyday to check on her.

"Hey mom," Serena says to her mother who is absentmindedly flipping through a magazine on the couch.

"Hi darling," Lily says and gets up to hug her. Serena takes in the dark circles marring her mother's ivory skin and winces. This is how Lily was when she and Rufus were fighting before only this time the circles are darker.

"How are you?" Serena asks.

"Serena, I appreciate you coming by to check on me, but I am just fine." _Just fine, _the last time those words were spoken by her mother; she filed divorce papers against Klaus. Serena is terrified that Lily and Rufus won't be able to bounce back from this fight.

"Okay well, I have to go. I am supposed to meet Dan for lunch," Serena kisses her mother on the cheek and leaves the penthouse, dialing Dan on the way out.

"Hey Dan, it's me. We need to talk about our parents."

"Yeah we do. My dad has sulking for the past week, using cooking as therapy. Do you know how many waffles I have had to eat since he has been staying here?" Serena manages a small laugh despite the depressing situation.

"Same goes for my mom except for the cooking part. In fact it is quite the opposite; she would look frail if she wasn't pregnant."

"What can we do to fix this?"

"We should make them have dinner together," Dan sighs over the phone.

"No offense Serena, but that didn't exactly work out last time in our favor," Serena thinks back to the breakfast they arranged before Rufus and Lily's wedding that ended up with Lily storming out.

"Dan, I don't care! We need to do something to get them talking again before my mother self destructs. I swear I will get Blair involved if you don't help me," Serena threatens and can literally see Dan cringing over the phone.

"Alright, I will help you; just don't pull the Blair card on me. Let's set up plans for tomorrow night and pray that it will work."

"Perfect thanks so much Dan! This will work out this time, I just know it." Serena and Dan hang up their phones and text their parents separately. Rufus and Lily respond favorably without knowing that the other is going. Everyone agrees to meet at Butter the next day at five.

_March 14__th_

"We have some real devious kids," Lily says and looks up at Rufus, the moonlight dancing across her face.

"I didn't know my son could be so sneaky,"

"He definitely learned from Serena, that's for sure."

"Who knew our kids were so hell bent on us getting back together,"

"You should have seen your face when you walked into Butter and saw me sitting there with Serena and Eric. I wish I had a camera," Lily rolls over and laughs into his shoulder.

"I am glad that my cluelessness amuses you Mrs. Humphrey." Rufus leans down to plant a kiss on the crown of her head.

"I am sorry darling; I just have never seen you that surprised before."

_March 8th _

After sleeping in until noon, which has become a regular occurrence for Lily lately, she rolls out of bed. She takes a shower and gets dressed, finally feeling ready to leave the penthouse for the first time in over a week. Looking around her closet, Lily realizes that she has nothing to wear for her dinner tonight with Serena and Eric.

"Time for some retail therapy," Lily says to her closet and snatches her tan Hermes bag off of her bed, heading to Fifth Avenue. Flying through her favorite stores, Lily buys a little black dress for dinner and several outfits for the baby.

"Oh Eleanor, it is so nice to see you," Lily says, bumping into Eleanor Waldorf outside of Bendels. Eleanor kisses both of her cheeks, the Waldorf signature.

"Lillian, how are you doing?"

"Great," Lily lies, painting on a smile.

"I can see that you have gotten bigger since the last time I saw you," Eleanor comments, gazing down at Lily's swollen stomach. Lily scrunches her eyebrows, not sure if that is a compliment in Eleanor Waldorf's mind.

"Yeah, Rufus and I found out that we are having a girl," Lily says proudly, trying not to let her face fall when talking about Rufus.

"Wonderful, I will have my messenger send a gift to the penthouse. How is your handsome husband doing by the way? Is he still pretending to be a rockstar?" Lily laughs at Eleanor making fun of Rufus' flagging career.

"No, his guitars are collecting dust in his office upstairs. If you will excuse me, I have to go get ready for our date tonight," Lily lies again.

"Tell Rufus I said hello and I can always send him a blazer if he ran out of flannel to wear." Lily laughs and puts a hand on Eleanor's shoulder as she is walking past.

Lily races back to the penthouse, having spent more time out shopping then she originally planned. Serena and Eric arrive with a car for Lily at quarter to five. They take her to Butter all the while avoiding any conversation about Rufus.

"It is so nice to see you guys," Lily says and kisses each of her children.

"It's good to see you too mom," Eric and Serena say as the car pulls up to Butter. They are immediately given a table and the waiter is requesting their order.

"Serena, what is taking you so long? I can order for you," Lily says after Serena sends the waiter away for the second time. Serena is trying to buy time until Dan and Jenny show up with Rufus.

"I am sorry mom; I just want to order something different this time." Serena says and curses Dan for his habitual lateness.

"I didn't know you kids even liked this restaurant. The last time we were here Dan barely touched his food and made sarcastic comments about the high prices all night." Rufus comments and opens the door to Butter for Dan and Jenny.

"I went here with Vanessa awhile ago and she changed my mind," Dan explains and gets the attention of the hostess.

"Come with me, your other party arrived about ten minutes ago," The hostess says and leads them to the back of the restaurant.

"Other party?" Rufus whispers to Jenny who shrugs at Rufus and winks at Dan.

"Oh no…" Rufus whispers as he sees Lily talking to Eric and Serena. Rufus turns around to see both of his kids blocking his entrance.

"I can't believe you actually fell for this again," Dan comments and points to the table set up next to Lily, Eric and Serena.

"Serena, this isn't funny." Lily whispers to Serena who has a smug smile on her face that her plan is working.

"Mom, just talk to him," Eric whispers to Lily, motions for Serena to get out of her chair and follow him outside.

"That table isn't ours, actually. We asked the hostess to set it up. Eric, Dan, Jenny and I are going to leave you two alone. Have fun!" Serena says and motions for the kids to follow her out of the restaurant.

"Serena! We will talk about this later," Lily threatens, knowing full well who orchestrated their meeting. Lily is aware that Serena decided to have this encounter in public because she knows Lily wouldn't dare make a scene.

"Can I sit?" Rufus mumbles and points to the chair across from her. Lily bites her lip, resisting the urge to get up and storm out of Butter. I guess Serena was right after all about her not wanting to cause a commotion.

"Please do," Lily states with no emotion behind her voice. Rufus pulls out his chair and sits down. The waiter rejoins their table and they order some appetizers.

"How have you and the baby been?" Rufus asks. Lily isn't sure on how to respond. On one hand, it is sweet that he still cares enough to be concerned about her and their child's well being. On the other, she is furious at him for hurting her in the first place. He shouldn't have to ask how she has been, he should _know_ because he should be there.

"We have been good," Lily decides to say after a few awkward moments of silence.

"Good," Rufus mumbles and takes a nervous sip of his water.

"How have you been?" Lily asks, hating the fact that she and her husband are playing catch-up like two friends who haven't seen each other in years.

"I have been fine," Rufus lies, not wanting to see how much their fight is killing him. If he could take it all back, he would. However, he can't and the things Lily said to him still hurt.

"That is great to hear," Lily offers a fake smile to Rufus and casually glances around the restaurant. She kind of hoped that he would apologize over and over again until she forgave him. _Don't be ridiculous Lily, this isn't a soap opera. _The voice inside of her head, which sounds an awful lot like CeCe's, says to her.

"So…do you want to talk?" Rufus asks as their appetizers are being placed in front of them. Lily bites into her shrimp and slowly nods.

"Sure, Rufus, what would you like to talk about?" Lily asks, although it is quite obvious.

"Have you given any thought to selling the penthouse?" Rufus asks. Lily's shoulders slump and she puts a hand to her forehead, a classic pissed off Lily gesture.

"Why do we keep talking about this?"

"You haven't really talked to me at all about it Lil."

"You went behind my back and hired a realtor without asking me how I felt about selling the penthouse."

"I tried talking to you about it in Hawaii and you shut me down without even asking my opinion so I felt I had no choice."

"That's because you can't compromise!" Lily says, throwing back the same words she said to him the last time they tried to work things out. Everything has changed, and yet, nothing has changed. In essence, they are having the same argument that they always have. The only difference between then and now is that there is more than just their marriage at stake.

"I think it is the other way around." Rufus says to her and takes a bite of a breadstick lying on Lily's plate. Lily notices and glares at him.

"Okay fine Rufus, where would we live if we sold the penthouse?" Lily asks and raises her eyebrows questioningly.

"I don't know, but at least we will have a place that is ours," Rufus says and puts his hand over hers which is resting on the table.

"That's the thing with you Rufus, you never plan anything." Rufus takes his hand off of hers and makes _that face_. The way his arms cross over his shoulders and how his gaze shifts to anywhere but her, is a sign to Lily that this conversation is done. Over the years and countless arguments between them, Lily realizes the second Rufus makes the face, he has checked out and there is no turning him around.

"You know what Lily, this was a mistake. I never should have come here." Rufus says and leaves Lily at the table alone, with her head in her hands.

_March 14th_

"I was so mad at you for leaving me there by myself," Lily says and shakes her head at him.

"If I remember correctly, the last time our kids decided to go all _Parent Trap _on us, you were the one leaving me."

"I don't remember that," Lily says innocently and blushes. Fortunately the darkness covers the pinkish hue of her cheeks.

"Either way, I think I pissed you off more with what I did next." Rufus says.

"I think you are right," Lily says and glares at him.

_March 8th_

Rufus leaves the restaurant in a rage, angrily dialing a number on his iPhone.

"Hi you have reached Egle Reality, this is Janice Egle. How can I help you?" The high pitched voice on the other end says into the phone.

"Hi this is Rufus Humphrey finally returning your calls. If possible, I would like to set up a showing for the penthouse tomorrow, if you have an appointment open."

"I was just about to call you; I have two very persistent clients interested in your penthouse. They would like to do an open house at 2 in the afternoon tomorrow if that is okay with you?" Rufus smiles, this couldn't have gone more perfectly. He knows that Lily has a meeting with Chuck tomorrow to begin handing over the task of managing Bass Industries at 1:30. He can slip in and out without anyone knowing.

"Mr. Humphrey?" Janice asks into the phone after hearing no response.

"Tell your clients that 2 o'clock is perfect," Rufus says and hangs up the phone.

_March 9th_

Lily leaves the penthouse at one, meeting Charles at the Empire Hotel.

"Hi Charles, it's so good to see you," Lily says and kisses his cheek. They sit in Chuck's suite and start to go over business propositions.

About two, Rufus arrives at the penthouse with his realtor and clients in tow. They begin a viewing of the penthouse when Eric drops in.

"Hey Rufus, what are you doing here?" Eric asks suspiciously, having heard from Serena that their dinner plan went awry.

"Just showing these people the penthouse," Rufus explains and leads the group of people upstairs. Once out of sight, Eric picks up his phone and speed dials Lily.

"Oh, I have to get this, it's Eric," Lily explains to Chuck and slides her iPhone on.

"Eric, my darling, is there something wrong?" Lily asks with concern.

"No, but I think there is about to be."

"What are you talking about? What's going on?"

"Rufus is here with a group of people and they are looking at the penthouse. I thought you guys weren't selling this place." Eric explains.

"We aren't or at least I'm not. Thank you Eric, I will call you back later." Lily says and slams her iPhone down on the table. Chuck actually jumps, he has never seen his usually poised and in control step mother get so angry.

"Trouble with the wife?" Chuck asks in his usual sarcastic manner.

"My husband is trying to sell the penthouse behind my back."

"So what are you going to do about it?" Lily sees that plotting look in Chuck's eyes and wants to join in, although she knows that she shouldn't.

"I don't know, but luckily I have a son who loves to scheme. What do you suggest we do?"

"I was thinking that I should expand my hotel business into Brooklyn." Chuck says with a smug smile on his face.

"Make the call," Lily orders.

"I am impressed that you would stoop to my level."

"Rufus really didn't leave me with much of a choice."

"I'll call the realtor." Chuck swipes his blackberry off of the coffee table and dials his private realtor.

"The realtors want to know what time they should come," Chuck says to Lily.

"Rufus should be back from his meeting with the record label about three." Lily mumbles to Chuck who nods and goes back to his conversation. Lily flips through the business portfolio while Chuck wraps up his phone call.

"All set for tomorrow at three," Chuck says and puts his phone back onto the mahogany.

"Perfect, let's return to business, shall we?" Lily asks and hands Chuck the overflowing folder.

_March 14th_

"I could never have thought you and Chuck conspiring against me," Rufus says and laughs.

"I'm sorry darling, it was just the way Chuck's eyes light up at the thought of a scandal, I couldn't help but be sucked in." Lily kisses Rufus' cheek, a silent apology.

"Honestly Lil, I was surprised to see Chuck anywhere Brooklyn."

"He made a sacrifice for me; unfortunately it had to be at your expense," A smile chases across Lily's face and Rufus lets out a tiny chuckle.

_March 10th_

"Here is the spare key to the loft," Lily says when Chuck drops by the penthouse.

"Key?" Chuck asks in confusion and holds up a key with a Lincoln Hawk keychain attached.

"Yes Charles, not everything has a room key," Lily laughs at the adorable bewilderment etched in Chuck's features.

"Remind me again why I am going to Brooklyn?" Chuck says and pockets the key.

"You are going to Brooklyn because you can't resist messing with people or because I am your stepmother and you love me. Whichever one gets you to Brooklyn the fastest." Lily says and kisses Chuck's cheek.

"True, on both accounts," Chuck says goodbye and leaves the penthouse. Lily can't wait for Rufus' call when he sees what is in store for him when he gets home.

Around quarter to three, Chuck arrives in his limo to the Humphrey loft. _I am doing this for Lily; I am doing this for Lily, _the mantra in Chuck's head plays out as he reaches for a sanitary napkin in his pocket to open the loft door. Luckily, there is no Humphrey in site.

"Okay the plan is when Rufus walks in, just start in on your sales pitch. Just make it believable as possible." Chuck instructs the realtor and group of clients he hired.

Rufus arrives back to some suits and Chuck in his loft.

"As you can see, there is sufficient lighting and it is a rather spacious loft for Brooklyn." The realtor tells the clients and Chuck who is pretending to take notes.

"Chuck, what are you doing in my home?" Rufus asks, causing everyone to turn and look at him.

"I was thinking about expanding the empire into Brooklyn," Chuck lies to Rufus. Rufus shakes his head and knows who put Chuck up to this.

"Chuck you can drop the charade and give me the key my wife gave you as you exit my home." Rufus says and swings open the loft door. The suits file out and Chuck drops the keys in Rufus' open hand. Rufus slams the door behind them and puts the key onto the counter.

He really should be furious at Lily for retaliating, but he can't bring himself to be mad for something he started. They are both acting like children instead of handling this like adults. He does feel bad for starting this whole fight; he should have just been honest with Lily about their living situation. Rufus sighs; he needs to make this up to Lily. Luckily her birthday is coming up in a few days which gives Rufus the perfect opportunity to reconcile.

_March 14_

There is nothing worse than celebrating your birthday alone. Sadly, this seems to be how Lily is celebrating her fortieth birthday. Sure, Serena and Eric will drop by with presents, but it isn't the same. More than anything, Lily wants things to be right with Rufus again. After all, their dinner didn't go well and they aren't getting anywhere by playing games with each other. If anything, it is driving them further apart.

And yet, it could all be fixed with a simple phone call that Lily isn't willing to make. She can't believe that she is letting her own insecurities get in the way of her relationship with Rufus again. As much as she wants to put the past in the past and move on, Rufus hasn't exactly apologized. Then again, neither has she.

Serena is on her way to her mother's when her iPhone vibrates against her leg. She reaches for it and is perplexed as to why Rufus is calling her. Her mother didn't exactly go into detail about the dinner they had a few days ago, but suffice to say it ended in disaster. So why would Rufus be calling her?

"Hello?" Serena says into the phone.

"Hey Serena, I was wondering if you could help me with something."

"If it involves another plan to try and sell my mom's penthouse sorry, I am not interested." Serena says and pulls the phone away from her ear, intent on hanging up. Rufus expected resistance from Serena, like it or not, she is a mini-Lily. Of course she is taking her mother's side in this argument; Rufus would be an idiot to think otherwise.

"No, trust me it is nothing like that. I know it's your mother's birthday today and I wanted to do something special to make it up to her. The only problem is I am guessing that your mother has planned on spending the day locked in her room watching her favorite movies." Serena softens; Rufus does know her mother very well.

"You got it! I think _Breakfast at Tiffany's _and _Casablanca _is on her playlist for today. What can I help you with?"

"I want to do a romantic dinner for your mother and I was hoping that you could take her out for a while so I can set up?" Rufus asks, crossing his fingers that Serena agrees with his plan.

"Perfect! I didn't get her anything yet so this will be her present."

"Great! If you could bring her back about five, I should have everything set up by then."

"Okay and Rufus?"

"Yes, Serena?"

"Thank you for making the effort to make it up to my mom. I know she doesn't make it easy, but she really does love you more than anybody else. She has been a wreck ever since you have been gone." Serena says, feeling extremely vulnerable for confiding in her stepfather.

"Your welcome Serena and I'm sorry that this happened in the first place. I love your mother very much." Rufus is touched and glad that he has both of Lily's kids on his side.

"I know you do, but I should go. See you later Rufus." Serena doesn't give him the chance to say goodbye and tells the driver to reroute the car to the penthouse.

"Mom?" Serena asks as she enters the penthouse.

"Up here Serena!" Lily yells from her bedroom. Serena smirks and can't believe that Rufus' prediction about where her mother would be is right. The man does know her after all.

"Hey mom, what are you watching?" Serena asks and looks over at the paused TV. Lily is in her pajamas with some packages strewn about on her bed.

"_Breakfast at Tiffany's_, it is one of my favorites. Would you look at what Eleanor sent me?" Lily reaches over and grabs the emerald box next to her in bed. She takes out a pink onesie that has Eleanor Waldorf designs splashed across the chest in gold lettering.

"Very Eleanor, I am surprised that she even got you something for your birthday."

"Oh no, I ran into her yesterday and she was asking about the baby. It was so nice of her to get me something, even though it is basically a walking advertisement for her company." Lily laughs and puts the piece of clothing back in the box.

"Mom, as much as I would love to spend your birthday watching movies with you I think we need to go out and have some fun." Serena grabs Lily's hands and helps her stand up.

"Well, I guess we could since my husband isn't coming by anytime soon." Lily says and frowns.

"Trust me mom, we will have so much fun you won't even be thinking about Rufus. Now go get dressed then we can go shopping for you and my future sister." Serena says with excitement, she can't wait to see her mother's face when they return back to the penthouse.

"Thank you darling," Lily kisses Serena's cheek and disappears into her closet. Ever since Lily has become pregnant, Serena has made an effort to make sure her mother is being taken care of. They have become closer than they ever have been and Serena intends on keeping it that way. She feels guilty for deceiving her mother on her birthday, but Serena realizes that it is for Lily's benefit.

"Mom, your birthday is going to be over by the time you are ready to go!" Serena teases after a half an hour of watching _Breakfast at Tiffany's_.

"I can't find anything to wear!" Lily yells back and picks out a wine colored silk top with white maternity jeans.

"You sound like me!" Lily rolls her eyes and starts getting dressed. She applies her makeup quickly and grabs an Oscar de la Renta black pleated purse to complete her ensemble.

"I like it, now let's go. I am supposed to be meeting Blair for dinner at five thirty so I have to be back by five."

"Okay," Lily leads the way downstairs and out of the penthouse. Serena is happy that her mother didn't ask her anymore questions about Rufus or her supposed dinner with Blair; she didn't want to lie to her anymore than she has.

"What do you think of this dress? Is it too mom for me?" Lily asks and holds up a loose, crimson off the shoulder Versace dress.

"Not at all and besides you get a free pass since you are pregnant," Serena says and rubs Lily's stomach affectionately.

"I don't know if I should be insulted by that or not." Lily comments and pays for the dress.

"Don't worry mom, you are the most fashionable pregnant lady on the Upper East Side. Now let's go baby shopping!" Serena says excitedly and drags her mother towards Bel Bambini. Lily is thrilled that her kids are looking forward to the new addition; she wasn't sure how they would react to her having a baby with Rufus.

"I like this, this, this and this," Serena says and holds up an assortment of newborn girl onesies. Lily laughs and tells Serena that she already has two of them waiting to be put in the nursery.

"When are you going to start on that anyway? Isn't the baby supposed to be here in a few months?" Serena asks out of curiosity. Lily shrugs and a frown begins to form on her face.

"Rufus and I had made plans, but obviously we got a little side tracked." Serena notices that she made her mother upset and puts an arm around her.

"Hey, I am sorry mom; I didn't mean to put a damper on your birthday."

"Don't worry darling, I am fine. Now, I think you should buy your sister that to make it up to me." A slight smile remerges on Lily's face as Serena goes to stand in line with the pink wool baby blanket that she picked out.

By the time they are done shopping, it is nearly five o'clock.

"I think we should go back to the penthouse Serena, I am starting to feel tired." Lily says as she readjusts the bags on her shoulder.

"I agree I have to go meet Blair anyway."

"Do you want to take a separate car?"

"No, I will go back with you, I think I left my jacket at the penthouse anyway." Serena left her jacket there on purpose this afternoon so she would have an excuse to go back to the penthouse. She wants to see what Rufus has planned for her mother.

"Okay well hop in," Lily says and hands the bags to their personal driver before sliding into the car. Serena follows suit and they arrive back at the penthouse within fifteen minutes.

When the elevator doors open, the first thing Lily sees is Rufus standing there with a bouquet of salmon colored roses in his hands. Lily does a once over of the first floor of the penthouse, admiring the candles and the table arrangement. Serena suddenly feels like she is intruding and bids goodbye to the couple.

"You did all of this for me?" Lily asks and drops her bags to accept the roses.

"Of course, I am so sorry Lil for what I put you through, but I hope to make it up to you if you will follow me." Rufus holds out his hand for Lily to grab. Lily smells the flowers and puts her hand in Rufus' allowing him to guide her to the dining room table.

"It is so beautiful!" Lily exclaims and gets a good look at the table. There are rose petals scattered across the table and candles lit everywhere, creating a real romantic atmosphere.

"Come sit, I made us some pasta," Rufus pushes her chair back for her and Lily sits down, still holding onto her flowers.

"I am guessing my daughter took me shopping so you could set all this up for me." Rufus sheepishly grins and piles some pasta onto their plates.

"I wanted it to be special for your birthday."

"Thank you Rufus and I'm sorry too. I never should have gotten Charles involved in our fight that was childish of me." Lily apologizes and takes a bite of her spaghetti.

"It's okay Lil; I really didn't leave you with much choice."

"Rufus despite what I said earlier, I do consider this place yours too. And I would love to find another place with you, but I don't think now is the right time."

"You are right, a move is so stressful and I don't want anything to happen to you or the baby. In time, we will find another place _together."_

"I would love that," Lily genuinely says. They eat in comfortable silence and clear their plates.

"Oh I almost forgot to give you your gift." Rufus says and grabs a gift bag that was sitting on the chair next to him.

"I thought dinner was my gift, not that I am complaining." Lily takes the gift bag from him and pulls out several receipts.

"If you don't like it, we can pick something else out."

"I love it; I can't believe that you ordered all of the nursery furniture I wanted. Thank you," Lily leans over and kisses Rufus for the first time in two weeks. Their kiss is interrupted when Lily winces in pain and grabs her stomach. Immediately, Rufus kneels down by her side, switching into concerned father-to-be mode.

"Lil what is it? What's wrong?" Rufus asks.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to scare you. Our daughter just kicked me," Lily smiles serenely and grabs Rufus' hand, placing it on the top of her stomach. They wait in silence for a few seconds before Rufus feels a tiny flutter beneath his palm.

"Is this the first time you have felt it?" Rufus asks, keeping his hand on her abdomen.

"I felt little tiny movements before, but nothing as strong." Lily and Rufus just stay where they are, not speaking and waiting for their daughter to communicate.

"Hi Alex, it's your daddy. I know you haven't heard the sound of my voice in a few weeks, but I am back now. I missed you and your mommy so much." Rufus says and caresses Lily's stomach. Lily closes her eyes in contentment, not wanting to ruin the moment between them.

"Figures our kid would try to steal the spotlight," Rufus mumbles and gets to his feet, breaking contact with Lily. She opens her eyes and scrunches her eyebrows together in a pout, not liking the fact that he moved his hand. Rufus silently answers her by dragging a chair next to her and sitting back down, gliding his hand up and down her stomach, wanting to see if the baby would follow him.

"Thank you for doing all of this for me." Lily whispers and meshes her lips with his.

"Happy Birthday Lil," Rufus says and returns the kiss. Lily pushes it further by threading her fingers through his hair. Rufus moans and does the same to Lily.

"The kids aren't going to be home tonight," Lily whispers, pulling away from the kiss.

"Say no more," Rufus stands up and offers his hand for Lily to take. Lily slips her hand in his and stands up. Lily and Rufus walk to their bedroom, planting butterfly kisses on each other's lips, neck, and shoulders along the way.

"This is the best birthday I have had in a long time," Lily whispers to him as Rufus opens the door to their bedroom and switches positions with her so she can be on top.

"Oh yeah, what tops this one?" Rufus asks and pulls her down on the bed with him.

"Salita," Lily whispers to him, not needing to elaborate.

"Let's not talk about that," Rufus discards her top as they slip under the covers.

**A/N 2: I hope you liked this chapter and it wasn't too confusing to follow. Next chapter, Rufus' favorite mother in law comes to town with a few surprises for our favorite couple. Please don't forget to leave a review on your way out. Thanks for reading!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Welcome back and thanks for all the reviews. I would like to encourage everyone to leave a review at any time. This chapter takes place two weeks after the past one and includes CeCe. Enjoy!**

**Chapter Thirteen-**

Two weeks have gone by since they made up and Rufus has wasted no time moving back in. His waffle maker has reclaimed its rightful spot on the counter; his toothbrush has rejoined hers in the master bedroom and his guitars have started recollecting dust in their office. The reintegration of her husband and his possessions makes Lily light up with joy. Perhaps her favorite thing of all about Rufus being back is waking up enclosed in his arms.

Today is no different as the sun seeps through the cracks in the blinds making Lily's chocolate irises flicker open. She attempts to stretch the kinks out of her back, but cannot due to the tight hold Rufus has around her. Instead, Lily swivels her neck to take in the serenity of her husband's sleeping face. She smiles and brushes a loose piece of hair out of his eyes. Rufus unconsciously tightens his grip on her, causing Lily to let out a tiny chuckle. Gently, she presses a kiss to his forehead and entangles herself from his embrace.

After Lily's shower, she wraps herself in a towel and opens the door a crack to see if Rufus is still sleeping. Lily hears Rufus softly snoring and quietly sneaks into the closet, not wanting to wake him. Putting a finger to her forehead, Lily begins the daunting task of deciding what to wear for the day. She chooses some black maternity slacks and a brown ruffled shirt that she found in the back of her closet a few days ago. The pants prove easy to slip on, but the shirt is giving her problems.

"Come on!" Lily exclaims and yanks the shirt down over her swollen abdomen, hearing the fabric tear.

Rufus has been slightly awake since Lily turned off the shower, just hasn't wanted to begin the process of waking up just yet. His ears become acutely aware of the shirt ripping followed by Lily bursting into tears. He sighs into the pillow before getting up and making his way over to his crying wife.

"Lily," Rufus says and pauses to assess the damage before wrapping his arms around her. The rip extends from the side, just below Lily's left breast, all the way down to her hip where the shirt ends making the shirt unsalvageable.

"I…ripped…it…" Lily whispers into his neck, sniffing between words. Rufus bites his lip in order to prevent laughter from escaping, but the light shakes of his body give him away. Lily lurches out of his arms, her face igniting with rage. The smirk disintegrates on Rufus' face after he realizes that he hurt her feelings.

"Lil, I am sorry," Rufus apologizes, his arms reaching out to encircle Lily's waist. Lily sighs and wipes her tears away in frustration. She hates having no control over her emotions; she can easily go from weepy to elated to pissed off in a matter of seconds. She knows that Rufus is just trying to support her in the best way that he can.

Rufus calmly waits for a cue from Lily on how to react. Dealing with his six month pregnant wife crying over a torn t-shirt was not included in his copy of _What to Except While You Are Expecting. _Luckily, Lily makes the first move and snakes her arms around his neck, bringing him as close as possible to her.

"I am sorry too; I know I am not the easiest person to handle sometimes." Rufus scoffs and kisses her forehead.

"Are you kidding? You are the calmest and most rational pregnant woman I have ever met." Lily lifts her head up to look at him and raises her eyebrows in doubt.

"You are so full of crap, but thank you anyway." Lily stands on her tip toes to capture his lips in hers. Rufus instinctively moans while wrapping his arms around her back.

"Hmm…I want a proper thank you…"Rufus whispers against her lips, slowly making their way to their bedroom.

"The furniture people are coming soon," Lily points out.

"We will be quick."

"I am already dressed," Lily protests lightly, feeling herself slowly give into temptation. Rufus casts a downward glance at her pants and ripped t-shirt then meets her eyes.

"You need to change anyway after your little incident a few minutes ago." Rufus doesn't give her the chance to respond back; he twirls her around and collapses on the bed, never breaking contact with her lips.

"I should kill you for that comment," Lily whispers halfheartedly. Rufus laughs and sweeps a loose blonde tendril behind her ear.

"Later…" Rufus doesn't finish his statement; instead he meshes his lips with hers. Lily reaches her arms over Rufus' shoulders and yanks his shirt off. Rufus does the same to her and starts taking off her pants. Lily simultaneously unbuckles his pants, sliding his boxers off with them. Their tongues duel for control as their clothes continue to be shed.

"That…was...a…great…thank…you," Rufus says, his voice staccato. Lily nods her head in agreement, still trying to catch her breath.

"I am glad you liked it," Lily responds and leans over to check the time.

"How much time do we have?" Rufus asks.

"Well, it's only eight thirty and the furniture people promised to be here at ten." Lily says in a very suggestive tone.

"What do you say we continue this in the shower?" Rufus asks, wagging his eyebrows mischievously. Lily giggles while reaching for her robe that was discarded earlier this morning.

"I already took a shower, but you can knock yourself out." Rufus sticks his lower lip out in a pout and crosses his arms like a petulant child.

"You are no fun." Rufus mumbles, glaring at Lily in the process. Lily shakes her head at her husband's juvenile behavior.

"Fine, but if we hear anything we have to stop." Rufus uncrosses his arms and snags her hand, dragging her into the bathroom.

After their shower, Rufus and Lily get dressed before heading downstairs to eat breakfast.

"I am guessing that you want waffles?" Rufus asks, already plugging the waffle maker into the socket.

"Of course, it is your specialty after all," Lily smiles over her shoulder at him while starting her tea at the stove.

"I am curious Lil, what did you eat for breakfast while I stayed at the loft?"

"I had Serena bring me crepes from the bakery down the street or I would microwave the leftover oatmeal." Lily admits making Rufus laugh.

"My poor wife can't even cook herself breakfast."

"Hey! I believe you were there when I tried to make pancakes for us. We both know that it didn't turn out well."

"That's exactly why you leave the cooking to me and I leave the baking to you."

"We make quite the team," Lily jokes and walks over to peck Rufus' lips.

"Always have," Rufus mutters against her lips, giving her kiss of his own. They separate to finish what they were doing and meet at the table with Rufus carrying their waffles.

"Are Dan and Eric coming over to help set up the furniture?" Lily asks.

"No, I told the movers to assemble everything except the crib. I was hoping that you and I could do that together."

"Rufus, we will end up killing each other."

"Come on Lil, I promise you get to read the instructions."

"Oh well, with an offer like that how could I say no?" Lily asks sarcastically.

"I will call Eric and Dan if we can't do it, but I want to at least try. What do you say?" Rufus makes his pleading face for the second time today and Lily acquiesces.

"Fine, but I am not touching any power tools."

"Hopefully neither of us will have to." Lily is hesitant about them putting the crib together; their personalities don't always blend together nicely. However, she can tell how much this means to Rufus, she can at least do this one thing for him after he showed his support earlier this morning.

The intercom in the living room buzzed, putting an end to their conversation.

"I'll get it," Lily says excitedly and rushes over to answer the pager.

"Yes…hi Vanya…yup, send them right up. Okay…thank you, bye…" Lily hangs up the phone and walks over to Rufus to help him clean up the dishes from their breakfast.

"I am guessing the furniture people are here?" Rufus asks, accepting a dirty plate from Lily to put in the dishwasher.

"Yeah, they should be here any second." The elevator pings open revealing six burly men carrying boxes.

"Is this the Humphrey residence?" The dark skinned man on the left says, holding what Lily presumes is the changing table.

"Yes, hi, I am Lily and this is my husband Rufus." Lily introduces them.

"Where are we going with this furniture?" A blonde man says.

"Let me show you," Lily and Rufus escort the man up to Chuck's former room.

At first, Rufus was extremely against putting the nursery in Chuck's room. Considering the wide array of girls that entered and exited during Chuck's time at the penthouse, Rufus didn't want his daughter occupying the space. Lily convinced him that if she had the room professionally cleaned, the baby could sleep in there. Rufus gave in, taking into consideration that Chuck's room is the closest to the master and Chuck lives at his hotel now unlike the other kids who come back on breaks.

Now the room is bare and the previously white walls are painted a pale pink. Rufus surprised Lily with a spa getaway last weekend so him, Dan and Eric could paint the room and not have Lily breathing in any of the fumes.

"Do you have a specific place where you want this stuff?" One of the movers asks. Rufus shakes his head; these men have no idea what they signed up for when they agreed to come into their home. Lily picked out all the furniture and where she wants the pieces to go in the nursery, with Rufus' approval of course.

"Yes, I want the crib untouched for now; my husband had the brilliant thought that we were going to put it together." Lily can't resist a jab at Rufus; she is positive that they are going to end up calling the movers back because they can't figure out how to assemble the crib. Lily's comment receives laughter from the movers and a scowl from Rufus.

"Alright, what about this?" The man holding the changing table asks. Lily points to the wall to her right. Lily tells each of the men where she wants everything to go with Rufus' help. The crib will be placed up against the main wall with a pink recliner next to it. Rufus wants the bookshelf up against the left wall so it will be easy to sit down and read a book with the baby.

Lily decided to scrap the interior decorators theme which was black and white with pink accents. Rufus didn't seem to be a fan of it and they both agreed that it was too modern. Instead, Lily did a little research and kept the pink, but switched out black and white for gold. The gold gives off a more classic, elegant feel and goes better with pink anyway.

"We got the changing table, recliner and bookcase. What are we missing?" Lily asks, eyeing the furniture.

"Is it this Mrs. Humphrey?" A mover asks, holding a box containing a white end table with gold trimming.

"Yes of course, that goes between the recliner and the crib." Lily says, looking to Rufus for confirmation. Rufus nods his head and snakes an arm around her waist. Rufus knows that Lily couldn't be happier that they are finally putting the nursery together. He didn't expect Lily to come to him with every decision regarding the baby's room, but is glad that she did. Rufus casts a glance over at his wife who is deep in thought. He is worried that she doesn't like how the nursery is coming together.

"Lil, is everything okay?" Rufus whispers, not wanting to distract any of the movers.

"Yes, I am just thinking of what else we need to get." Lily whispers back and surveys the room, making a mental shopping list.

"What else do you feel we need?"

"Well we don't have anything to hang on the walls, I think we need to either put up wallpaper or have something painted. I would like to have something saying our daughters name and some pictures to put up. We need a lamp for the table that goes with the room. We don't have any bedding or books or pillows…" Rufus senses the stress ebbing off of Lily and kisses her temple reassuringly.

"Lil, we have time, don't worry. We will get those things in time. The baby won't care if she doesn't have pictures to stare at or a lamp. As long as we have the essentials, our daughter will survive." Rufus cups his hands around her shoulders, gingerly kneading the tension out of them. Lily gradually feels herself loosening up, her mental shopping list becoming a far away worry.

"I know, but we should get on those things when we are done with the furniture." Lily rotates to face him, turning her back to the movers behind them setting up the furniture.

"I promise we will, but for right now, go put your feet up and relax." Rufus brushes his hand through her shiny blonde hair before stamping a kiss to her cheek.

"Okay, I'll be downstairs if you need me." Lily says in defeat and does one more final check of the mover's progress before heading down to the living room. Lily cracks open her halfway finished Nicholas Sparks book while Rufus stays upstairs to lend a hand. About an hour later, the phone cuts through the silence of the penthouse. Lily tears her eyes away from her book and extends her arm over her shoulder to grab the phone.

"Hello," Lily mumbles distractedly while turning the page in her book.

"Hello darling," CeCe says into the phone causing Lily to sit up quickly. The book, which she was balancing on her swollen abdomen, falls to the floor.

"Hi...mother…what's going on?" Lily asks, finding her voice again.

"I am coming to New York tomorrow and thought I would give my daughter a call to let her know." Lily's eyes widen, she was hoping that CeCe would stay away for her entire pregnancy to avoid stress…or suicide.

"You are coming to New York tomorrow mother? That's great!" Lily says, feigning excitement.

"You don't have to pretend to be excited dear, I know this is rather sudden. However, I am only staying for two days."

"Are you going to get a hotel in the city?" Lily hopes that CeCe will not want to stay at the penthouse with her and Rufus.

"Don't be ridiculous Lily; I'll be staying with you." _Damn it. _Lily silently sighs, there is no use trying to persuade her mother into staying somewhere else.

"Okay then, we will have a family dinner tomorrow night to celebrate."

"Great! I'll see you then." Lily and CeCe say their goodbyes before hanging up the phone. Lily lets the phone roll out of her hand, crashing onto the glass coffee table.

Rufus hears the loud thud coming from downstairs and excuses himself to check on Lily.

"Lil?" Rufus asks, going down the stairs two at a time. Lily doesn't respond and buries her head in her hands. Rufus sits down on the couch and takes in the paleness of Lily's face with apprehension. Lily slams her head on Rufus' shoulder, still not answering her husband. Rufus' worry intensifies and extends a hand out, placing it on her stomach; feeling little flutters dance across his palm.

"Is there something wrong with the baby?" Rufus questions in a hushed tone. Lily shakes her head that is still up against his shoulder. Rufus lets out a breath and caresses her abdomen in attempt to calm her down.

"My mother is coming tomorrow," Lily murmurs. Rufus cringes, suddenly understanding why Lily is so upset. CeCe is…well CeCe. She is everything Lily fears that she will turn into. CeCe is manipulative, assertive and can't resist meddling in other people's business, especially her daughters.

"How long is she staying?" Rufus asks, praying that it will only be for the day.

"Two days and she already invited herself over here. I wasn't about to say no."

"We will get through this Lil," Rufus assures her, although he doesn't buy it. He can only hope that Lily doesn't stress herself out too much, that couldn't be good for her or the baby.

"You sound so sure I almost believe you," Lily whispers and removes her head from the crook of Rufus' neck. Rufus frowns at the heightened worry lines on Lily's face.

"It's going to be fine. Now, the movers are almost done. Let's go see the nursery." Rufus stands up and pulls his wife off the couch. Lily walks up the stairs with Rufus following close behind, his hand resting on the small of her back.

"Wow, it looks great!" Lily exclaims and eyes the room. The chair and the table are perched in the corner, waiting for the crib to go next to it. There is the changing table fully assembled exactly where Lily wanted it and the movers are putting the finishing touches on the bookcase.

"You guys work fast, thank you!" Rufus tells the movers. Within a half an hour, Rufus and Lily are escorting the movers to the elevator. Rufus hands them a tip and thanks them again for all their help.

"It looks great; shall we go put the crib together?" Rufus asks, holding out his hand. Lily nods and they walk to the master bedroom to get the crib box that was moved out of the nursery.

"This isn't the David Netto crib that I ordered," Lily says in horror, double checking the label on the box.

"I had Jenny and Dan's crib taken out of storage the other day. I didn't want my daughter to sleep in anything else." Rufus tells her. Lily bites her lip, she isn't as happy about this as Rufus is. She is hesitant to have their child sleeping in the same crib as the children Rufus had with Allison.

Rufus wants to slap himself, why did he think Lily would be okay with this? If the roles were reversed, he wouldn't be too keen on his child sleeping in the crib that Serena and Eric slept in, only because they are William's children with Lily.

"I am sorry Lil, I should have checked with you first. I can call and get the other crib back." Rufus says sincerely, realizing that he made a mistake. Lily shrugs,

"No it's okay Rufus. I would have appreciated you asking me first, but I think it's sweet that you want to use this crib. Can you carry the box into the nursery for me?" Lily asks.

Rufus feels like he just got away with murder, he thought for sure that Lily would yell at him or give him the silent treatment for the rest of the day. He picks up the box and takes it into the nursery for her. Lily is waiting for him on the recliner that was just installed. He sets the box down in front of her and waits for Lily to open it.

"It says that all we need is a wrench. Do we even own a wrench?" Lily asks. Rufus shrugs and hands her the instructions while he is taking out the pieces.

"This doesn't look too complicated. Here, hold this," Rufus hands her part of the crib frame while he slides another into the grooves of the piece she is holding. He secures it into place with an Allen wrench that came in the box. They repeat the steps until the entire scaffolding of the crib is in place.

"Next comes the mattress support," Lily reads off from the instructions. Rufus picks the mattress support up and tries to slide it into the sides of the crib.

"Honey," Lily says after watching Rufus fiddle with it unsuccessfully for a few seconds. Rufus stops what he is doing and meets her eyes. Lily holds up the bolts needed to secure the mattress into place.

"Thanks," Rufus takes the pieces from her and screws in the mattress support to the bottom of the crib. Lily smiles in victory and eases herself to her knees so she can help Rufus. After they get the mattress support in, they secure the last side of the crib into place.

"We actually did it without yelling at each other, I am impressed." Lily says as Rufus pulls her to her feet. Rufus kisses her and turns her around so they can admire their handy work.

"I told you we make a great team." Lily yawns and stretches out of Rufus' embrace.

"We should tell the kids that CeCe is coming tomorrow. I promised my mother I would have a family dinner. Oh, except for Jenny and Dan, they don't have to come if they don't want to. I wouldn't subject them to my mother, that wouldn't be fair."

"No, they are coming too. Even though CeCe isn't their biological grandmother, we are a family now." Lily grins widely and kisses Rufus passionately.

"Thank you. After I text the kids, what do you say we take a nap?" Lily inquires, sliding her iPhone out of her pocket.

"Sure, I'll text mine and you text yours?" Rufus asks and pulls out his phone. Rufus texts Jenny and Dan while Lily texts Serena and Eric requesting a mandatory dinner tomorrow night. They decided to leave out the part where CeCe is coming for fear that their kids won't show up. Lily and Rufus put their phones away and go to their bedroom to take a nap.

The next afternoon, CeCe arrives off the train at Grand Central Station. Somebody spots her and sends in a blast to Gossip Girl.

**Uh oh, it looks like the Wicked Witch of the Upper East Side has come to pay us a visit. I guess Halloween has come early this year. Better watch out S, I am guessing CeCe has more tricks up her sleeves than treats.**

Serena looks at the blast, her face slowly contorting into a frown. She knew there was a reason that her mother and stepfather called for a family dinner tonight. Serena considers blowing the dinner off, but has a feeling that her grandmother will track her down sooner or later during her stay in New York.

Meanwhile, Rufus and Lily are checking in at the doctor's office for her sixth month checkup. Lily's name is called and she has her weight measured, blood drawn and blood pressure taken. Now they are waiting for Sutherland to come in.

"I got a text from Serena saying that my mother has arrived in New York. I expect the gin to be swiped from our liquor cabinet any second now." Lily feebly jokes and leans back on the exam table. Rufus chuckles and reaches for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Sweetheart don't worry, we only have to deal with CeCe for a couple of days."

"Easy for you to say, you didn't have to spend 18 years of your life with her."

Sutherland knocks on the door and peeks her head in to see if it's okay to enter.

"Hello Rufus, Lily," Sutherland shakes each of their hands and sits down in her usual spot. Lily sits up straight, still holding on tightly to Rufus' hand.

"How are you feeling Lily?" Sutherland asks. Rufus breaks contact with their hands to rub her back.

"A little stressed, but other than that I feel great."

"I could tell by your blood pressure, it is substantially higher than it has been in the past which isn't good." Lily's eyes widen and she glances over at Rufus who is mirroring her terrified expression.

"My mother is coming into town," Lily admits and feels her face heat up with embarrassment. Sutherland smiles sympathetically and writes something down in Lily's chart.

"My condolences, please remember that you cannot have any alcohol. In all seriousness though, we need to control your blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to Braxton Hicks contractions which aren't good for the baby."

"I will make sure that she stays as relaxed as possible for the next few days." Rufus promises firmly, leaving no room for Lily to argue.

"Great, now let's get to the fun stuff. I will be right back with the machine if you would like to take a seat Rufus." Sutherland excuses herself out of the room.

"I don't have to worry about the alcohol, I am sure my mother will be drinking enough for all of us." Rufus lightly smiles, although he still deeply concerned about his wife, he doesn't want her hurting herself or the baby. At the same time, Lily has shown that she can take care of herself. The only thing Rufus can do is steer her in the right direction.

"I'm back," Sutherland says, wheeling in the ultrasound machine. Lily knows the drill by now and leans back, pulling her shirt up to below her breasts. Rufus takes a seat and reclaims her hand.

"Aw, she is sucking her thumb," Rufus whispers to Lily when they see their daughter. Lily beams at Rufus who leans over to plant a kiss on her cheek. Sutherland assures them that the baby is developing nicely and turns off the machine. Rufus and Lily set up an appointment for next month and leave the office.

"Alright, it's time to go see CeCe," Rufus says even though he doesn't want to.

"Can't we go shopping first?" Lily asks.

"No, I have to get back and start cooking dinner. Come on Lil, the sooner we get this over with the better." Lily reluctantly climbs into the car with Rufus slamming the door behind them.

Sure enough as they walk into the penthouse, CeCe is sitting at the counter nursing a gin and tonic.

"Hello mother, I see you got into our liquor cabinet…already." Lily says to CeCe and slides off her oversized trench coat. CeCe almost spits out her drink when she sees Lily's baby bump.

"Now I know why it hasn't been touched in what…six months?" CeCe asks Lily who blushes. Rufus materializes behind Lily and wraps an arm around her. Lily leans heavily into his arms, appreciating the support.

"Rufus and I are having a girl in July." Lily informs her mother and looks up at Rufus affectionately. CeCe doesn't react; she merely reaches for the bottle to pour herself another drink.

"I am going to get groceries; I will see you ladies later." Rufus gives Lily a goodbye kiss before exiting the penthouse. Lily pours herself a glass of orange juice and waits for her mother to say something.

"How is your relationship with Rufus? The last time we saw each other, you were hiding cancer from him and now you two are expecting a baby." Lily rolls her eyes; of course it would be that simple in her mother's mind. CeCe doesn't know about the amount of work that Lily puts into her relationship with Rufus. Her mother only sees the negative side of their relationship because that is all she wants to see. CeCe made it abundantly clear many years ago that Lily shouldn't be with Rufus and has tried to tear them apart ever since.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Lily asks CeCe in irritation.

"I am just concerned for you and my grandchild's well being is all."

"Right or is this you trying to show me that Rufus isn't good enough for me." CeCe scoffs as if that is the most ridiculous thing she has ever heard.

"Darling, there is a reason that you kept your sickness from Rufus. It's because you don't trust him. How are you supposed to raise a child with someone you don't trust?"

"That was a long time ago and we have worked through it. Look, mom as much as you want to meddle into my relationship with my husband, I am asking you to let it go. Please?"

"Of course dear, it won't be mentioned again." _Right_, Lily thinks to herself, not believing her mother for a second. CeCe has a knack for interfering with Lily's love life and Lily is determined not to let it happen again.

"I am going to take a nap, Rufus should be back soon with groceries." Lily excuses herself upstairs. CeCe waits until she hears the bedroom door shut before she whips out her phone.

"Is everything set for tomorrow?" CeCe asks the caller on the other end.

"Yes."

"Good, stay reachable." CeCe ends the call and swallows the rest of her drink in one gulp. Rufus comes back twenty minutes later with armfuls of groceries.

"Let me help dear," CeCe tells Rufus and grabs a few bags from his hands. Rufus is surprised; he was expecting a frosty treatment from Lily's mother.

"Thank you CeCe," Rufus says and places the groceries on the counter, taking out the ingredients for the dinner is making.

"Does Lily ever help you cook?" CeCe asks with curiosity.

"Your daughter is many things, but a cook is not one of them." Rufus jokes and turns on the oven. CeCe nods in understanding and hands Rufus the chicken to slide into the oven.

"So have you and Lily decided what to do after the baby is born?" CeCe asks Rufus who looks at her in confusion.

"I am not sure what you are referring to CeCe."

"Well, who is going to take care of the baby?"

"Lily and I are."

"That is a sweet thought, but my daughter is the head of Bass Industries not a stay at home mother. You can't expect her to change because of you." Rufus furrows his eyebrows; _does CeCe actually have a point for once? _

"I am sure that Lily and I will figure it out. We both put family first." Rufus says, sounding unsure of himself. CeCe attempts to mask her smirk; this is exactly what she wanted. Now she just has to wait for Rufus to bring it up later to Lily and watch what unfolds.

"Well, in that case. I am going to freshen up before dinner unless you need any more help?" Rufus shakes his head and watches CeCe go upstairs to Serena's old room which doubles as a guest bedroom.

Around five, the kids start trickling into the penthouse. Lily and CeCe have wakened from their naps and are chatting with Rufus while he is putting the finishing touches on dinner.

"Hi Grandma!" Eric and Serena say to CeCe while giving her hugs. Dan and Jenny offer CeCe a nod, not exactly warming up to her yet.

"Is Charles not coming?" Lily asks Serena.

"No, he had some 'official Bass business' to take care of so he won't be joining us." Serena jokes and pours herself a glass of wine.

"Lil, can you hand me the sauce from the fridge?" Rufus asks. Lily hands him what is asked and gives him a toe curling kiss before breaking away. CeCe severs her conversation with Eric to glance over at the couple. She feels something inside…guilt? Jealousy? She isn't quite sure, but it makes her feel somewhat bad about what she said to Rufus earlier. CeCe has never seen Lily this comfortable in a relationship before, but she can't undo what is already done.

"Alright, let's eat," Rufus tells the group and everyone carries a plate into the dining room. Dinner runs relatively smoothly, which is remarkable considering CeCe is there. After dinner, the kids insist on dragging board games out and go to find them. Lily starts picking up, but Rufus stops her.

"I got this, go put your feet up and rest." Rufus says and takes the plate away from her.

"I am not a child Rufus," Lily whispers to him, not wanting CeCe to hear them arguing.

"I know and you can repay me after the baby is born." Rufus says and kisses her forehead. Although Lily is annoyed, she isn't going to push the issue further in front of her mother. The last thing Lily needs is to be fighting with Rufus while her mom is in town.

"I will," Lily says defiantly and joins the kids in the living room. CeCe stays behind to speak to Rufus.

"You know Rufus, I have never seen my daughter happier," CeCe admits. Rufus stills, taking into account their conversation earlier; he could easily be falling into a trap. Against his better judgment he takes the potential bait.

"I love Lily very much despite what you may think."

"I see that and maybe I shouldn't have made her choose all those years ago." Rufus is astounded, what made CeCe have a sudden change of heart?

"Is this some sort of an apology?" Rufus asks.

"Don't be ridiculous, you saw how many drinks I have had today." _Figures, _Rufus thinks to himself.

"I appreciate whatever this is and think you should tell Lily what you just told me."

"I will when I think my daughter is ready to hear it. Now, let's go rejoin the family. Lily probably thinks I have killed you by now." Rufus chuckles and they drop the dirty dishes in the sink before going into the living room.

**A/N 2: That is all for now! CeCe's reign of terror continues into the next chapter, she isn't done surprising Lily and Rufus just yet. Please leave a review on your way out and thanks for reading! Xoxo.**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Welcome back and thank you for the reviews. I heard that Rufus and Ivy are done, yay! Hopefully that means a Rufly reunion? We will see, but for now enjoy more CeCe.**

**Chapter Fourteen**

___"I see that and maybe I shouldn't have made her choose all those years ago." Rufus is astounded, what made CeCe have a sudden change of heart?_

_ "Is this some sort of an apology?" Rufus asks._

_ "Don't be ridiculous, you saw how many drinks I have had today." Figures, Rufus thinks to himself._

_ "I appreciate whatever this is and think you should tell Lily what you just told me." _

___"I will when I think my daughter is ready to hear it. Now, let's go rejoin the family. Lily probably thinks I have killed you by now." Rufus chuckles and they drop the dirty dishes in the sink before going into the living room._

CeCe sits down in a chair that was left open for her by the kids while Rufus takes a seat next to Lily on the couch.

"What did my mother have to say?" Lily whispers to Rufus as the kids are still debating which board game to start with.

"We will talk about that later," Rufus whispers back, not really knowing what to say to his wife right now. He is so conflicted about CeCe, she usually has ulterior motives, but she seemed so genuine when semi-apologizing to Rufus. However, that conversation about what is going to happen after the baby still resonates with him as well. Rufus senses that she mentioned that to him in order to provoke a fight between him and Lily, but now he isn't so sure.

"Hey you two, stop whispering about what you are going to do to each other later and join the family," CeCe says to the couple which makes Lily blush.

"Mother!" Lily admonishes and shakes her head in disapproval.

"What game have you guys picked?" Rufus asks, deterring their conversation for the kids' sake.

"How about Twister?" Jenny jokes, holding up the box.

"Sure," CeCe agrees to everybody's shock.

"Grandma, you do know what Twister is right?" Serena asks with amusement.

"Of course I do dear. I have had enough drinks in me to not remember this tomorrow, so why not?"

"Well when you put it like that, let's play Twister," Dan jokes and waits for Jenny to take all of the stuff out of the box. Lily is given the job of operating the spinner since she is pregnant and can't play. It takes some convincing, but the kids eventually get Rufus to play with them. He figures if CeCe is putting in the effort, he could too.

The game comes down to CeCe and Eric, everyone else has been eliminated.

"Right hand green," Lily calls out and watches her mother and son contort their bodies to reach the green dot.

"Oh my hip!" CeCe exclaims as she leans over in an attempt to put her hand on the dot.

"Grandma are you okay?" Eric stops moving and stands up to help CeCe.

"Yes! I win!" CeCe shouts and gets to her feet.

"Nice move Grandma!" Serena says and high fives her grandmother. Eric's jaw drops at the fact he just got played by his grandma. Everyone else starts laughing at CeCe brazenness.

"Good one CeCe," Rufus congratulates her.

"Thank you Rufus, what game are we playing next guys?" CeCe asks, apparently having a great time.

"How about something less hazardous to your health?" Lily asks and suggests Clue.

"Good idea darling, I am not as young as I used to be," CeCe excuses herself to get another drink while the game is being setup. Serena ends up winning Clue and then they switch over to boggle. By then, everyone is starting to get tired. Eric, Jenny, Serena and Dan hug CeCe, Lily and Rufus goodbye before exiting the penthouse.

"Well thank you mother, I actually had fun tonight," Lily says.

"You look tired Lily, you should go to bed." CeCe tells her and finishes off her drink. Lily nods and looks to Rufus whose shoulders are slumping in exhaustion.

"Let's go to bed Lil," Rufus stands up first and offers his hand for Lily. He pulls her up, still holding onto her hand.

"Night mother, you know where the liquor is if you need some," Lily leans over to kiss CeCe's cheek.

"Night, don't let me hear what you two are doing upstairs." Lily's face heats up in embarrassment causing Rufus to laugh. Lily and Rufus head to their bedroom and do their usual nighttime routine before climbing into bed.

"My mother was on her best behavior tonight. That must have to do with the number of drinks she had." Lily jokes and lays her head down on Rufus' chest.

"Must be," Rufus mumbles. Lily pops her head up and notes the heightened worry lines on her husband's face.

"Okay what is going on with you? You have been making that face ever since you and my mother had that secret talk in the dining room."

"Nothing, I just don't know how to process our conversation, that's all."

"Was she slurring her words?"

"Lily, I am serious. I think we have made a tiny step in becoming closer, but I can't tell."

"With my mother, you never can. Thanks for trying though, I really appreciate it." Lily kisses him chastely on the mouth. Rufus ups the ante by threading his fingers through her hair.

"As much as I would love to, I can't have sex with you with my mother in the adjacent room." Lily whispers breathlessly as she breaks away from the kiss.

"Why not? Pretty much everyone in this family has heard us have sex," Rufus points out, sticking his lower lip out. Lily laughs and caresses his cheek.

"I know, but she will be gone tomorrow. We can do it then as loud as we want."

"I guess," Rufus says solemnly. Lily pecks him on the cheek and brings the covers closer to her.

"Goodnight Lil," Rufus leans down and plants a kiss on the crown of her head.

"Night Rufus," Lily adjusts a little, already feeling her eyelids droop.

Around two o'clock in the morning Lily is woken up by an intense craving and the feeling of her daughter kicking her repeatedly in the ribs. _Ignore it and go back to sleep_, her mind tells her. She rubs her abdomen in an attempt to soothe her daughter. Alex won't relent and kicks Lily twice as hard as before.

"Rufus," Lily whispers to her sleeping husband. Rufus is still lightly snoring, showing no signs of waking up anytime soon. Lily starts assaulting Rufus' face with kisses, never ceasing until his green irises flicker open.

"What?" Rufus asks, annoyed that he has been woken up. He assumes that it is something serious enough for his wife to be waking him up in the middle of the night.

"I want sour cream and onion chips," Lily says to him and offers her best puppy dog face. Rufus groans and shakes his head.

"Lil, I am not getting out of bed to get you chips."

"Didn't you say about two weeks ago that you would do anything for our child?"

"Yes, but it was nine in the morning and I was fully dressed then," Rufus explains and starts to close his eyes again. If this is going to work, Lily needs to switch tactics.

"Please baby?" Lily asks and puts his hand to where their daughter is kicking her. This gets Rufus' full attention, Lily rarely, if ever, calls Rufus baby. It's always darling or occasionally honey. She must be really desperate to call him baby.

"Fine," Rufus acquiesces since he knows that Lily isn't going back to bed until she gets what she wants. Rufus untangles himself from Lily and disappears into the bathroom to get redressed. He comes out ten minutes later to find Lily fully awake, reading the last of her book.

"I am not going to get any sleep until our daughter gets what she wants," Lily informs him after seeing the bemusement on Rufus' face.

"She is stubborn like her mother," Rufus sits next to her on the bed, rubs the top of Lily's stomach and plants a feather light kiss on her lips.

"Hmm…I was going to say she has your stubbornness." Lily kisses him again and brushes some hair out of his face. "Thank you for doing this."

"I better get a lot of sexual favors for this." Lily laughs and nods.

"If you want them, they are yours."

"Good, don't think I won't collect." Rufus gives her a final kiss goodbye and heads out of the penthouse. He runs into Vanya on the way out who shakes his head at Rufus.

"I did the same thing for Dorota. What is Mrs. Humphrey asking for?" Vanya asks him.

"Sour cream and onion chips," Rufus tells Vanya who chuckles.

"I had to track down old Polish cuisine when Dorota was pregnant with Anastasia, which was not easy. Good luck to you Mr. Rufus." Vanya holds the door open for Rufus who smiles in appreciation. Rufus hails a cab to the nearest grocery store.

All the way there, Rufus cannot believe that he has become a cliché. He is doing a middle of the night grocery run for his expectant wife, a scene straight out of the movies. This never happened when Allison was pregnant with Dan or Jenny, but Lily is very different from Allison. Lily always gets Rufus to do things he has never done before, including this. Rufus is lucky that he lives in New York, a city that never sleeps; otherwise he would be hard pressed to find a grocery store open at two thirty in the morning.

"Excuse me, where are your sour cream and onion chips?" Rufus asks an older gentleman working at the cash register.

"How far along is your wife?" The gentleman asks Rufus with a grin.

"Is it that obvious?" Rufus asks as the man is leading him to the back of the store.

"Yup, normally married guys don't come in at odd times asking for odd things unless it's for their pregnant wife. Here you go," The gray haired man hands Rufus a bag of Ruffles sour cream and onion chips.

"Thank you and she is six months along," Rufus says as he pays for the chips.

"Congratulations, I wish you well."

"Thank you and you too!" Rufus grabs his bag and hails a cab back to the penthouse. When he comes back into the penthouse, he spots CeCe sitting at the counter with a drink in her hand.

"You couldn't sleep either?" Rufus asks.

"No, what's in the bag?" CeCe asks.

"Your daughter sent me to get chips for her." CeCe nods sympathetically,

"Did you ever tell her about our talk?"

"Which one are you referring to?"

"The one I don't want Lily to know about."

"No, I didn't tell her anything," Rufus watches in confusion as relief floods CeCe's features. He is about to ask why she is so hesitant to open up to Lily when he hears "Rufus?" from upstairs.

"You better go Lily can be very insistent."

"Don't I know it," Rufus mumbles and bolts up the stairs to the master bedroom. Lily sets her book down on the nightstand as Rufus takes off his shoes.

"Here you go," Rufus hands her the chips and slides into bed next to her.

"Thank you my darling," Lily kisses him in appreciation and starts munching away at the chips. Rufus snakes an arm around her, bringing her close so he can kiss her temple.

"Do you want a chip?" Lily asks and holds one close to Rufus' mouth.

"No thanks. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity, you know that right?" Lily rolls her eyes and swallows.

"Yeah, until the next time I ask you."

"Ask? I think the word was beg, Lil." Lily glares at him before leaning over to throw away her bag of chips.

"Whatever you call it, you still did it."

"I will be stronger next time," Rufus strips down to his boxers and gets under the covers.

"Whatever you say Rufus," Lily slips under the blankets and puts her head back on his chest. Rufus doesn't respond, having already fallen back to sleep.

The next morning, Rufus makes waffles for him, CeCe and Lily to have for breakfast. He feels guilty that he and Lily slept in so late, but considering what happened last night, he hopes that CeCe would be forgiving.

"These waffles are delicious Rufus," CeCe says after she washes them down with some orange juice.

"Thank you, they are my specialty."

"Lily, do you ever cook for Rufus?"

"No mother, you know I can't cook. Although, I did make Rufus pasta once and didn't kill him." Lily jokes.

"Lil is more of a baker than a cook."

"Of course, why don't you teach her how to cook?" CeCe asks Rufus.

"I don't have the patience for it. Besides, I would rather go out or order in." Lily answers for Rufus who is starting to look uncomfortable.

"Ah well it's good that your husband will cook for you. Anyway, I was looking at the nursery earlier and noticed that there is stuff you guys need to get. You two should go shopping today," CeCe says, hoping they will jump at the chance so she can get them out of the penthouse. Lily's eyes narrow in disbelief, her mother wants her and Rufus out of the apartment for some reason.

"That sounds like fun, what do you think Lil?" Rufus asks, unbeknownst of CeCe's real intentions.

"Sure," Lily says distractedly, analyzing her mother's face for clues.

"I'll clean up, you guys go get ready," CeCe orders Lily and Rufus. The couple head upstairs to get ready while CeCe puts the dishes in the sink.

"Did my mother seem…too nice this morning to you?" Lily asks Rufus as they are getting dressed.

"Are you complaining about CeCe being nice?"

"I am not complaining, I am wary, the last time we were on good terms with each other was when she was about to tell you about my supposed cancer."

"Well knowing your mother she has something up her sleeve, but we can either fight her on it or go with it, unless of course you want to hang out with her all day." Lily's eyes widen in horror and she vigorously shakes her head.

"No you have a valid point. We need to go baby shopping anyway and this would be the perfect time." Rufus slips his trademark flannel shirt on and turns to Lily who is struggling to slide a coral v-neck over her swollen abdomen.

"Are we going to have another ripped t-shirt incident or are you going to find something that actually can fit you?" Lily yanks her t-shirt down in defiance and smiles triumphantly at Rufus.

"I should probably go help CeCe clean up while you finish getting ready." Rufus kisses her cheek and heads downstairs. He grins when he sees that CeCe is simply putting dishes into the sink.

"Need some help with loading the dishes into the dishwasher?" Rufus asks making CeCe jump.

"Dear, I have never cleaned up after myself in my life. I assumed Larissa did the cleaning for you and Lily." Rufus chuckles at his mother-in-law's admission.

"Lily hires her for big events from time to time, but we do most of the cleaning ourselves." Rufus swings open the dishwasher door and starts loading it. CeCe watches what Rufus is doing and parrots it, trying to make herself useful.

"Did you talk to Lily about the thing I want you to talk to her about?" CeCe asks.

"Not yet, I was going to while we were out shopping today."

"Good, you should figure it out sooner rather than later." Rufus finds it a little odd that CeCe is so concerned about childcare, but he can only assume that she is in some way helping him and Lily. Although with CeCe, you can never tell what her true motives are. Lily comes down the stairs to see her mother putting away dishes for the first time in her life.

"Is my husband making you clean mother?" Lily asks and sets her tan Hermes bag on the counter.

"Yes, it's awful. You two go and I will call the maid to finish this." Rufus and Lily both laugh despite CeCe being completely serious.

"You ready Lil?" Rufus asks.

"Yeah, see you later mother," Lily and Rufus bid goodbye to CeCe and get into the elevator. Once CeCe is sure the couple has left the penthouse, she places a call to the caterer and then to her grandchildren.

"Serena darling, is Eric with you?" CeCe asks.

"No, I am at Blair's. Is there something going on?"

"I was wondering if you could get Eric, Dan and Jenny and bring them to the penthouse. It's pretty important."

"Uh sure grandma, we will be there in a half an hour." Serena and CeCe say their goodbyes and hang up.

"What did CeCe want?" Blair asks Serena who is searching for her Chanel bag.

"I don't know, but I have to go. Do you want to come with?" Blair shrugs,

"Why not, it's not like I am waiting around for Chuck. Ever since he took over for your mother he has been all about work, it's scary that he is actually doing what he is supposed to."

"B, I think Chuck is trying to impress Lily. She is the closest thing he has to a mother."

"I know I just never see him." Serena puts a hand on Blair's arm comfortingly and then swings her ebony Chanel bag over her shoulder.

"Come on, we should go. I have to make sure Dan, Jenny and Eric can come too." Blair and Serena take a car to the penthouse with Serena dialing the whole way there. Luckily, Dan, Jenny and Eric are all free and agree to rush over to the penthouse right away.

When all the kids and Blair arrive at the penthouse they see caterers setting up tables of deserts and appetizers.

"Grandma, what are you planning?" Eric asks CeCe who is directing the caterers.

"I am throwing a surprise baby shower for Lily and Rufus since I am in New York. I was hoping that you guys could help set up. Everyone is scheduled to be here at two." CeCe tells the kids.

"A baby shower? I thought my mom said she didn't want one." Serena says in confusion and dodges someone holding a bouquet of balloons.

"You should know by now darling that I don't listen to anything your mother says. Now, I need someone to help with setting up the cake and decorating."

"I will do the cake and the girls can do the decorating." Dan tells CeCe which Blair, Jenny and Serena agree to.

"Perfect, I am guessing that Lily and Rufus will be back about three." CeCe says to the kids.

"Poor Rufus will have to pry Lily away from the baby stores. She came home with four bags full of clothes the other day that I bet Rufus doesn't even know about." Serena says.

"I will call mom about quarter to three if she isn't back by then and make some excuse as to why she has to come home." Eric promises.

"Good it's settled then, now stop talking and start working. I have to go yell at the catering company." CeCe excuses herself to the kitchen, leaving the kids to fend for themselves.

"Do you like the regular letters or the cursive ones?" Lily asks and holds up them for comparison.

"The cursive ones won't connect with each other so I like the regular ones."

"Good me too. Are we going to spell out Alexandria or just Alex?"

"Alexandria would be too long, I like Alex." Lily picks out the white wooden letters and a few gold picture frames with Rufus' help.

"Alright, we got the letters and the picture frames. What's next?" Lily asks Rufus as they are walking out of Basics Plus, a craft store on the Upper East Side, hand in hand.

"How about bedding?" Rufus asks Lily as they get into a taxi.

"Take us to Albee baby please," Lily directs the cab driver. They arrive and immediately head over to the bedding section.

"I like this one," Rufus points to a light pink bed set.

"The walls are pink that might be a little too much." Lily says and makes a face at Rufus' choice.

"I can tell you already have one picked out from the second we walked in here." Rufus comments and throws an arm around her. Lily nods eagerly and points to an ivory silk bedding set with a strip of pink at the bottom.

"The set also has bows that are sold separately. I think we should get them," Lily suggests.

"You are the expert on this not me. If you want to get that one, then let's get it."

"Wow that was easier than I thought. Are you feeling okay?" Lily jokes and grabs the bed set that is wrapped up. Rufus manages a measly smile. He is letting Lily have her way in hopes that she will go easy on him when he brings up the conversation he had with CeCe.

"I am fine, trust me Lil, I appreciate you asking for my opinion, but I don't know anything about this stuff. You have a good idea of what you want and I am not going to stand in your way." Lily hands him the bags with the letters in them and stands in line to pay for the bedding. Lily kisses him on the cheek as a silent thank you. She then purchases the bedding and they leave the store.

"So it's about two, I was thinking lunch?" Rufus proposes and takes of the bags from her.

"Perfect, I am craving Italian," Lily and Rufus get into a taxi and land at a quaint Italian bistro a few blocks from the penthouse.

They order their food and sit in silence, enjoying the street views of New York. Rufus is fidgeting with his napkin and contemplating whether it is worth bringing up to Lily at all. He concludes that he would rather bring this to the table than CeCe.

"So Lil…" Rufus is interrupted by Lily's iPhone ringing in her purse.

"Oh hold that thought one second, it's my mother," Lily tells Rufus and picks up the phone.

"Yes mother…we should be home in about an hour or so…no you may not take the campaign in the cabinet…yes I am sure...okay our food is coming…okay…bye." Lily heavily sighs and puts her phone back in her Hermes bag as their food is being set down in front of them.

"What were you saying before? Sorry, if I didn't answer she would keep on calling."

"I was wondering what we are going to after the baby is born," Rufus starts, picking every word carefully. Lily's eyebrows furrow in confusion and she takes a sip of her water before answering.

"As far as what?"

"Who is going to watch the baby?"

"Well I was thinking since I am the mother and you are the father, we would. What are you getting at?"

"Are you planning to resume your duties as head of Bass Industries?" Lily purses her lips and tilts her head, having figured this conversation out. _Shit, I know that look, she is on to me! _Rufus thinks to himself and avoids eye contact with his wife.

"Who is asking here? You or my mother?" They are interrupted by the check coming and Rufus hands the waiter his credit card right away.

"I am because I am wondering if I should take Panic up on their offer of collaborating with them." Lily shakes her head, seeing right through Rufus' deception.

"Don't lie to me, Rufus. Damn it, can't you see? This was my mother's plan all along. She put this idea into your head because she knew I would be against it and it would cause a fight between us."

"That may be, but is she wrong?" Lily's eyes widen and she leans back in her chair. The waiter comes back with the receipt for Rufus to sign. He scribbles his signature and they leave the restaurant, their fight spilling out onto the street.

"I can't believe you just said that to me," Lily whispers as they are standing on the sidewalk outside of the bistro.

"Look Lil, you are an excellent mother, but can you honestly look at me and tell me that you are willing to give up your position at Bass?"

"I am doing this for Charles, I thought you understood that."

"He has proven that he is ready to take over, I think you aren't going to let him." Lily bites her lip in frustration, trying to fight back the tears that are threatening to fall.

"Is that what you think of me? That I am some power hungry woman who is too afraid to give all that up?"

"Of course not Lil, but I know you. I know you aren't the stay-at-home mom type." Lily and Rufus step into an awaiting town car that takes them back to the penthouse. Lily is speechless and feels attacked by Rufus. He is aware better than anyone how insecure she is about parenting. Hell, one of her children tried to kill himself because she wasn't there for support. For Rufus to accuse her of being a bad mother in a round-about way is unfair and very hurtful.

"If you were honestly coming to me with a concern about our child, then I would be open for a discussion. However, I recognize my mother's fingerprints all over this conversation and I am not okay with it." Lily mumbles to Rufus as they are approaching the penthouse. Rufus rubs his face with his hands and gets out of the car. The driver opens Lily's door for her while Rufus gets their bags. They take the elevator upstairs and are bombarded with "surprise!" as soon as they arrive.

Lily isn't that shocked that CeCe did the one thing Lily explicitly said she didn't want.

"I am feeling underdressed, excuse me," Lily politely says to her guests and heads to the master bedroom. Rufus smiles at the crowd and follows Lily upstairs, bags in tow. Lily rips off her jeans and coral shirt and grabs a burgundy lace maternity dress especially made for her by Bloomingdale's. Rufus sets the bags down on the bed and uses the bathroom. When he comes out Lily is fully dressed and slipping on her ebony Manolo flats.

"Lil…" Rufus starts, but is interrupted by Lily.

"We have guests downstairs that are waiting on us. We can talk about this later." Lily commands and brushes past him. Rufus sighs in aggravation, but joins Lily downstairs anyway.

To outsiders, Lily and Rufus act like the happy expectant couple throughout the baby shower. They weave through the crowd, chatting about their impending arrival and accepting gifts. Although CeCe notices that something isn't right with Lily and Rufus. Last night and this morning, they could barely keep their hands off each other and now it looks like they want to be on opposite sides of the room. There is no kissing in between gaps in conversation, no Rufus rubbing Lily's stomach proudly, or pressing their bodies as close as possible to each other. CeCe can tell that her daughter is irritated and Rufus is guilty.

CeCe isn't the only one suspicious of her mother and Rufus. Serena can tell her mother is upset over something that happened while Lily and Rufus were out shopping.

"Hey B, can you come here a second?" Serena asks Blair who is talking to a group of society women. Blair follows Serena to the dining room which is vacant for the time being.

"Ow S, what is going on?"

"It's Lily and Rufus. They had a fight while they were shopping and I need to know what it was about. Can you do some research and get back to me?" Blair's eyes sparkle with mischief; new scandals are like candy to her.

"Sure, I will talk to Chuck and see if he knows anything."

"Great, I will ask my mom before she starts opening presents." Serena and Blair divide up, each looking for their intended targets.

"Mom can I talk to you for a second? It's important," Serena whispers in Lily's ear. Lily breaks away from her conversation and follows Serena back into the dining room.

"Serena what is it? We are being rude to our guests." Lily tells Serena.

"What is going on with you and Rufus?" Lily feigns confusion,

"I don't know what you are talking about Serena; nothing is wrong. I have to go back to our guests and you should do the same." Lily turns on her heels and saunters out of the dining room, where CeCe has gathered everyone around the present table.

While Lily and Rufus are opening the baby gifts, Serena is texting Blair that Intel is more important than ever. Her mother has never lied to her about the men in her life. In fact, Lily has been a little too upfront at times especially when it comes to Rufus. There has to be a reason as to why Lily has suddenly started hiding things from her and Eric.

Serena takes a seat toward the back of the living room next to Blair.

"I haven't been able to find anything concrete, but Humphrey told me that your grandmother and Rufus had a pow-wow in the kitchen last night. Could that be related to what is going on?" Blair whispers to Serena.

"The root of my family drama is usually CeCe. That woman loves scheming almost as she loves her gin and Chanel number five." Serena whispers back.

"I'll send out a hit on Gossip Girl, but I don't expect much back. Sorry S."

"No, its fine, thanks for trying B. I am sure there will be a confrontation after everyone leaves. My mother never likes to things publicly."

After the all the gifts are open, the guests go back to their conversations. At around five, mostly everyone has gone except for the immediate family.

"Dan and I are going to take Eric and Jenny back to the train station; I should be back in an hour." Rufus says to Lily who gives him a weak kiss goodbye. Serena and Chuck go back to Blair's leaving Lily alone with CeCe.

"Mother, why are interfering with my relationship with Rufus again?" Lily asks bluntly.

"What are you talking about dear?" CeCe asks earning an exaggerated eye roll from Lily.

"You told Rufus to ask me about who is talking of the baby to start a fight between us and guess what it worked." CeCe's face mars with guilt, but she isn't making any move to apologize.

"I am sorry that you two are arguing, but I wanted to make sure your husband was aware of what's going to happen when my granddaughter is born."

"As usual mother, you have overstepped your boundaries."

"Well that may be, but I am just doing what is best for you and the baby."

"That is what you always say." Lily sighs in frustration and rubs her face in her hands.

"I should go, now hug me goodbye and call me when the baby is born." Lily is stupid for expecting an apology from her mother, it's been forty years and she still hasn't gotten one. As Rufus said to her once, CeCe is never going to change, the best and only thing Lily can do is accept the fact that CeCe is the only mother Lily is going to have and she should love her regardless of how messed up her values are.

"I will mother," Lily reluctantly wraps her arms around CeCe and holds her tight.

"Good luck with that husband of yours," CeCe tells Lily and breaks away from her hug. A bellboy materializes in the penthouse to take CeCe's luggage to an awaiting car. With a wave goodbye, CeCe takes the elevator down, leaving Lily by herself. Lily surveys the mess made from the baby shower and leaves it behind, walking upstairs towards the master bathroom. She can either have Larissa clean it up tomorrow or Rufus if he feels guilty enough. Lily draws herself a bubble bath and eases herself into the tub, letting the water and bubbles engulf her.

Rufus comes back about fifteen minutes later with no signs of CeCe or Lily.

"Lil?" Rufus yells upstairs to no response. Lily might have not heard him or is still too mad at him to answer. He goes into the master bedroom and sees the bathroom light on.

"Hey Lil, can I come in?" Rufus asks, knocking on the door. Lily's eyes flicker open, having heard Rufus.

"Sure, just close the door behind you," Lily calls back. Rufus cracks the door open and quickly closes it, trying to trap the heat inside.

"Lil, I am sorry for letting your mother come between us and I didn't mean to criticize your parenting skills." Rufus says and sits down on the bathroom floor next to her. Lily's face softens and she puts a hand over Rufus'.

"Thank you and I know my mother can be very manipulative. We will just have to find a compromise later on that fits us."

"We suck at compromising remember?" Lily laughs and reaches over to start draining the bathtub.

"Can you hand me a towel?" Rufus complies and swaddles her in a lilac towel. Lily swivels on her heels to face him and meshes her lips with his, already putting their fight behind them.

"So I take it I am out of the doghouse?" Rufus mumbles against her lips.

"Mmhmm…I was thinking that since you satisfied my craving last night, I could satisfy yours now." Lily says and kisses a trail down his chest. Rufus moans and backs them up towards their bedroom, stripping off his clothes in the process.

"I like the way you think Mrs. Humphrey," Rufus says and lowers her onto the bed.

**A/N 2: I will let you guys fill in the blanks on this one because I am too tired to do it myself. If you guys would be so kind as to leave me a review since it's my birthday on Saturday, it would be much appreciated! Thanks for reading and this is what I am modeling the nursery after in case you were wondering. /blog/2012/08/design-reveal-pink-and-gold-glamour/**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Welcome back and thank you for all your kind reviews! They mean so much to me. Only one episode left of GG and let's hope that we get to see Rufus and Lily back together! I am crossing my fingers as I am writing this chapter. Enjoy!**

**Chapter Fifteen**

Lily Humphrey has had it. She is seven months pregnant and is just about through with the cravings, constant trips to the bathroom and looking like the Goodyear blimp. Her stomach is a little smaller than a soccer ball and she still has two months left until her due date. She rolls over in bed, which takes a good thirty seconds given her current size, and discovers that she cannot hear her husband evenly snoring beside her. Lily's chocolate irises flicker open to confirm that the other side of the bed is empty. She frowns; she figures that since he is going to be gone for the next few days he would want to wake up with her. Her frustration is intensified when she feels the need to pee _again_. Slowly, she eases herself out of bed and uses the bathroom.

When she is done in the bathroom, Lily makes her way to the kitchen and sees Rufus hovered over the counter, casually flipping through the newspaper.

"Good morning," Lily says and walks over to him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. Rufus drops what he is reading and turns his full attention to her.

"Morning," Rufus mumbles and kisses her fully, pressing her against him as much as her abdomen would allow. They break apart when they both feel their daughter kick. Rufus laughs and puts a hand on Lily's stomach, rubbing it soothingly.

"What are you making us for breakfast?" Lily asks, her eyes shifting from her stomach to Rufus' face.

"Whatever you want as long as I don't have to go out and get it." Rufus adds, covering his bases. Lily opens her mouth then closes it again, pausing to think,

"Hmm…I think I want French toast. Oh and some bacon! I'll make the bacon." Lily offers excitedly.

"Lil, can you even make bacon?"

"Of course I can, I have made it before." Lily turns away from Rufus and walks, no _waddles_ toward the fridge. Rufus chuckles, he can't believe his wife is waddling, something he finds utterly adorable. Lily hears him snicker and throws him a questioning glance over her shoulder.

"You are waddling," Rufus says and puts a hand over his mouth to contain his laughter. Lily snatches the bacon out of the fridge and juts her chin out defiantly.

"I am not." She proclaims and walks over to the stove, turning on the burner.

"I think it's cute," Rufus assures her by sweeping her hair to the side, planting a kiss at the nape of her neck, sending a shiver down her spine. He then begins to prepare the French toast.

"There is nothing cute about waddling like a penguin," Lily tries to stand up straight, but can only do it for a short span of time because of the pain radiating up her back. She slumps over in defeat, shooting a warning glare at Rufus not to say anything. "It's hard not to when you have a soccer ball attached to you." Lily admits quietly while flipping the bacon.

Rufus finishes cooking the French toast and loads it on a plate. As he is walking to the table, he stamps a kiss on Lily's temple. Lily puts the bacon on a plate and joins her husband at the table.

"So, what are you doing in Albany again?" Lily asks while munching on her bacon.

"Remember that vh1 show I did a long time ago?" Lily grins mischievously at the memory that was the night she cheated on Bart with Rufus.

"I remember what happened after that more than the actual show," Rufus blushes and takes a sip of orange juice.

"Well, they want Lincoln Hawk to do a follow up show in Albany."

"That sounds great, I wish I could come." Rufus isn't even having that discussion, there is no way Lily is going with him to Albany.

"What are you going to do while I am gone?" Rufus asks, changing topics.

"Well, I figured that I would put the clothes and other gifts into the baby's room. Oh, and the kids are accompanying me to Eleanor's party tonight. As much as I don't want to hear Eleanor gush about her new line the entire night, I should go and be supportive."

"I am kind of glad that I am going to be gone then I wouldn't be dragged along. Just make sure you don't tire yourself out." Lily gives him a "Rufus" look,

"I can take care of myself darling, don't worry." Rufus nods, he knows that coddling Lily is only going to make her pull away.

"I should go get my luggage; the bus is going to be here any minute now." Rufus puts his dirty dish in the sink and goes into the master bedroom. Lily puts all the cutlery and dishes into the dishwasher while waiting for Rufus to get back. The phone ringing interrupts her methodical process. She dries off her hands and walks over to the phone, yanking it off the cradle.

"Hello?" Lily asks into the phone.

"Hello Mrs. Humphrey there is a rather large bus outside and there is a man here asking for Mr. Rufus," Vanya informs her.

"Thanks Vanya, I will tell him." Lily hangs up the phone as Rufus is coming down the steps, his suitcase in tow.

"That was Vanya; I think the tour bus is taking up several parking spaces in front of the penthouse." Lily tells her husband and looks down at his luggage, feeling tears prick the corner of her eyes.

"Lil, I will be back in two days." Rufus says as he envelops her in his arms. Lily sniffs and curses her hormones for getting the best of her. Her and Rufus have been separated for much longer while they are a couple, she is just scared of being alone this far into her pregnancy.

"I know I am not sure why I am crying right now."

"I wish you could come with, but I don't want you breathing in all of the smoke in the bar we are playing at." Rufus isn't too keen on leaving her alone either, but he can't back out of the show now.

"I understand I am just going to miss you so much." Lily wipes her eyes as Rufus loosens his grip on her.

"I am going to miss you too," Rufus gives her a passionate kiss, making Lily instinctively moan. Rufus is the first one to pull away and leans down so he is eye-level with his wife's swollen abdomen. "I'll miss you as well Alex," he says to his unborn daughter and rubs Lily's stomach before standing up straight again.

"You better go before I change my mind." Rufus gives her one final kiss goodbye and grabs his luggage.

"Call me if anything is wrong." Rufus says in a dead serious tone.

"I will, now go or I am going to start crying again." Lily lightly pushes him toward the elevator. Rufus turns around and waves to her as the elevator dings. He gets on it, leaving her in an empty penthouse.

Lily feels pathetic; her husband is going to be gone for two days, not two years. Her hormones have kidnapped her emotions, turning her into a soft, weepy, woman who cries at the drop of a hat. She promised herself that she wouldn't cry, and is annoyed that she did. Rufus will be back later tomorrow night and until then she is keeping herself preoccupied.

Lily walks to her room with determination, she is going to get dressed and then work on the nursery.

Rufus climbs on the tour bus and is immediately swarmed by his fellow band mates.

"Hey guys!" Rufus exclaims and hugs everyone.

"Wow, Rufus I must say you have upgraded since the last time I saw you," Jake, the drummer, says and pats Rufus on the back.

"Yeah, I am definitely in Brooklyn anymore," Rufus sets his guitar down on the floor and sits down the couch.

"So, Rufus, what is new in your life?" Kyle, the band's bassist, asks.

"Well, Lil and I are going to have a little girl in a few months," Rufus announces with a gigantic grin on his face. He receives congratulations and another round of hugs from everyone on the bus.

"Thanks guys, I am really excited, anyway, enough about me, what is going on with everyone else?" Rufus asks while pulling out his iPhone. As Jake is reprising every one of the new developments in his life, Rufus texts his and Lily's kids, asking them to keep a close eye on Lily while he is gone.

Back at the penthouse, Lily is staring at her daughter's closet, trying to decide what the best way to organize all of her clothes. Encircling her are various shopping bags full of onesies, dresses, and shoes in an array of colors. Her thoughts are interrupted by her phone buzzing inside of her white maternity shorts.

"Hello?" Lily says, easing herself to the floor to start taking the clothes out of the shopping bags.

"Hey mom!" Eric says into the phone.

"Eric, my darling, what's going on?" Lily asks distractedly, busy with sorting Alex's clothes by color.

"Nothing, why do you always assume something is wrong when I am calling you?"

"You kids normally don't call unless there is something wrong."

"That is more Serena than me mom. Anyway, Jenny, Dan, Serena and I are taking you out to dinner tonight." Lily rolls her eyes, realizing who put her son up to this call.

"I am guessing this was your stepfather's idea." Lily says and heaves herself off the floor, carrying a bundle of red clothing to put into the closet. Eric is silent for a minute, thereby confirming Lily's suspicion.

"Well, not entirely, but since we are going to Eleanor's after it makes sense to have dinner together."

"Okay, what time?"

"We will be there at around six if that's okay with you."

"Sure, I will see you then darling." Lily hangs up the phone and works on the nursery for a couple hours, getting all of her daughter's clothes into the closet and sorted by color. She steps back to admire her work and rubs her eyes tiredly. Lily yawns and stretches, deciding it's best to take a nap before she has to start getting ready for dinner and Eleanor's event immediately after.

Three hours later, Lily starts waking up, surprised that she was asleep for that long. She fumbles for her phone, wanting to see how much time she has to get ready. It's about four thirty, leaving her just enough time to shower and dress before the kids come. Lily hops in the shower, blow dries her hair, puts on her makeup, and then walks into her closet in order to pick out what she wants to wear tonight.

After flipping through her entire wardrobe, Lily picks a plum cocktail maternity dress with an ebony belt cinched above her belly. As she is slipping her dress on, Lily hears Serena yell "mom?" from downstairs.

"Coming!" Lily yells downstairs, zips up her dress and slips on her YSL flats.

"Hey Lily," Jenny and Dan say, each giving her a hug. Eric and Serena hug their mom after.

"You guys look great," Lily comments and adjusts Eric's bowtie slightly. Serena is wearing a cobalt floor length gown with sequins and Jenny has on a simple little black dress while the boys are in matching tuxedos.

"Thanks Lily, you do too," Jenny says. Lily smiles at Jenny and snatches her clutch off the counter.

"Thank you Jenny, are you guys ready?" Lily asks the kids who all nod. They load into the car which takes them to Cut, Lily's favorite restaurant.

"Have you talked to Rufus at all since he left?" Serena asks Lily.

"Yeah, he texted me when he got to Albany. I am going to call him once I get back from Eleanor's." The waiter passes out the dishes to everyone and then disappears.

"If it's okay with you Lily, we would all like to spend the night at the penthouse with you." Dan says and takes a bite into his steak.

"Of course, you guys are always welcome. Although, there are only Serena and Eric's room left. We turned Charles' old room into the nursery and the other room is Rufus' office." Lily is touched that all four of them want to keep her company while Rufus is away.

"We don't mind and we want to see the nursery," Serena says genuinely.

"Perfect, it's not done yet, but I could use any input you guys have. Rufus just agrees with whatever I say so I don't yell at him." Lily jokes, eliciting laughter from the kids.

Everyone wraps up their meal and Lily pays the check.

"Do we really have to go to Eleanor's?" Dan groans while climbing into the limo.

"Unfortunately yes, although I will try to get us out of there as quickly as possible. Eleanor wouldn't dare argue with me while I am pregnant." Lily says.

"I don't know mom, Eleanor can be pretty scary herself, I think Blair got it from her," Serena comments.

"Trust me darling, I am not afraid to bite Eleanor's head if need be," Lily assures her and puts a hand over Serena's. Lily pays the bill and they file out of the restaurant and into the limo. Lily pulls out her phone, sending a quick text to her husband.

Rufus reads a text from Lily with a melancholy grin on his face.

**Going to Eleanor's with the kids, wish me luck, miss you like crazy honey, xoxo.**

He sends a quick text to her back and pockets his phone.

** Miss you too Lil, good luck at Eleanor's, tell her I say hi. Call me when you are done, I love you.**

"Give it up for Lincoln Hawk!" The DJ announces, applause erupting from the audience. Rufus and his band take the stage, opening their set with "Every Time", a song Rufus wrote for Lily. Rufus glances around the audience as he is singing, wanting more than anything his wife being there with him, cheering him on.

Lily, Serena, Eric, Dan, and Jenny arrive at the Waldorf's. Serena goes to find Blair and Chuck while Eric, Dan and Jenny stay close to Lily.

"Lillian!" Eleanor says and kisses both of Lily's cheeks.

"Hi, Eleanor, the place looks great!" Lily compliments, taking in Eleanor's Paris themed penthouse. Eric, Dan and Jenny say hi to Eleanor before going to find Serena.

"Thank you, I thought so too. Oh Lillian, where is Rufus?" Eleanor asks.

"He is doing a show in Albany so he couldn't make it." Lily says as she and Eleanor walk further into the party.

"He left you alone when you are this far along into your pregnancy? That wasn't very smart," Eleanor informs her and grabs some champagne from a waiter walking by. Lily can't help but get irritated by Eleanor's comment, but doesn't want to embarrass her at her own party.

"He had this all set up before we knew that I was pregnant. He is only gone for the night. If you will excuse me, I am going to talk to some people from Bass." Lily offers a fake smile to Eleanor and leaves to talk to some suits already chatting with Charles.

"Charles, how nice to see you!" Lily exclaims and kisses him on the cheek. Chuck blushes and wraps his arm around Lily.

"Hello Lily, we were just talking about Bass Industries plan to buy another hotel," Chuck informs her.

"Wow, aren't you ambitious? Well, don't let me stop you Charles. I'll catch up with you another time." Lily makes her away around the room, catching up with some friends. By ten o'clock, Lily is ready to leave. She rounds up all the kids who go back to the penthouse with her. They arrive back and Lily escorts them upstairs to the nursery.

"I like it mom," Serena says to which everyone else agrees.

"Thank you, like I said it's not finished. We still need pictures for the frames and a light fixture. Also, I keep bugging your father to put up the letters for the baby's name over the crib. I think I will just have to end up calling somebody to do it."

Dan and Eric hang back with Lily while Serena and Jenny analyze the room, deciding what the best advice to give to Lily is.

"Mom, I think a chandelier would look great in here, especially with the theme you have going," Serena advises.

"I agree Rufus wants to get a white ceiling fan which I don't like. I think it would look bad in here," Lily agrees and makes a mental note to go to Restoration Hardware before Rufus gets back. He is less inclined to have an opinion if it's already ordered.

"As far as pictures go, why not do a family picture while you are still pregnant? You and my dad could get some really cute pictures to put in here," Jenny suggests to Lily.

"I love that idea Jenny! That would be adorable," Lily nods in agreement and makes sure to schedule something before her due date. Lily looks to the boys who have been silent the whole time.

"It looks great Lily, but I don't have any ideas," Dan says guiltily.

"That's fine Dan," Lily says and escorts everyone out of the nursery. She hears her phone vibrate and her face lights up when she sees it's a text from Rufus.

"We are going to play some board games, want to join us?" Eric asks Lily.

"I will, but I want to talk to Rufus first. I'll come down when I am done," Lily assures her children and kisses each one of them. The kids go downstairs to dig the board games out while Lily changes out of her dress. Instead of going to her side of the closet, Lily searches through her husband's looking for his favorite Lincoln Hawk t-shirt. She finds it at the very bottom of his dresser and slips it over her. There is still trace amounts of Rufus' Armani cologne clinging to the fabric, making Lily delighted to be able to smell her husband.

Lily boots up her Mac and sits cross legged on the bed. She sees Rufus on Skype and invites him to video chat with her. It takes a few seconds, but eventually Lily can see Rufus' face.

"Hi sweetheart!" Lily exclaims.

"Hey baby," Rufus says tenderly back to her and sits down on the hotel bed. He takes in his wife's appearance, recognizing that she swiped his shirt from his closet. He has to admit that it looks better on her, "I like the shirt." Lily blushes and tucks a loose blonde hair behind her ear.

"I…uh…miss you and this smells like you," Lily explains, feeling like a teenager wearing her boyfriend's letterman jacket.

"How was your day?"

"It was good, I had dinner with the kids and then we went to Eleanor's. They are actually staying the night tonight. I agreed to join in on a board game later. How was the show?"

"It went great, but it wasn't the same without you there."

"I am sorry I missed it," Lily says with a slight frown.

"Did Eleanor behave?" Rufus asks, trying to lighten the mood.

"It was weird; I think Eleanor was concerned that I was by myself. It was almost like she cared or something." Rufus laughs,

"She likes you more than she lets on. How is the baby?" Lily puts a hand on her stomach subconsciously,

"Good, she is not as active as she usually is, but she is starting to kick since I have been talking to you."

"I miss you guys so much, but I should be home for dinner tomorrow and I plan on taking you and the kids out." Before Lily can respond, she hears a knock on her door.

"Come in!" Lily yells and Dan enters the room.

"We were just about to start Scrabble and we were wondering if you wanted to join us," Dan explains and waves hi to Rufus.

"Sure, let me just say goodbye to your father first and then I'll be down."

"Okay, bye dad, see you tomorrow."

"Bye son, represent the Humphreys well in Scrabble." Rufus says and waves to Dan.

"I will," Dan waves goodbye and leaves Lily alone in her room.

"I should go honey, otherwise your very persistent son will be back," Lily jokes.

"Okay bye sweetie, I'll see you tomorrow," Rufus says. Lily blows him a kiss and closes out Skype. She heads downstairs and sits next to Jenny on the couch. Lily is happy that her and Rufus' kids stepped up while Rufus is gone and are getting along. She understands how rare this is and wants to enjoy it while it lasts.

"Alright, one game and then I am going to bed," Lily declares while getting her letters out of the bag. Everyone agrees and they start the game. Dan ends up winning, of course, scoring a 36 point word on a triple word score.

"Goodnight everyone," Lily says and kisses each of the children.

"Night mom," Eric and Serena say.

"Night Lily, nice shirt" Dan and Jenny tell their stepmom, having recognized their father's old Lincoln Hawk tee. Lily blushes and heads upstairs. As she climbs into bed, she tries not to look over at the empty spot beside her. She knew this would be the worst part about Rufus being gone. Lily misses Rufus wrapping his arms around her, holding her securely in her sleep. She shakes her head and chides herself, she can get through one night without her husband, she just isn't willing to try. Lily grabs Rufus' pillow and holds it close to her, breathing in his scent. Eventually, Lily succumbs to sleep.

Lily wakes up around nine, the aroma from the kitchen traveling upstairs, making her get out of bed. She is astounded to find all four children cooking breakfast.

"Hi guys," Lily says and kisses each of the kids good morning.

"Hi mom, we are making breakfast," Eric announces proudly, while hovering over a pancake with a spatula.

"I see that," Lily comments, trying not to giggle at her son looking like he is ready to attack a pancake.

"What would you like to drink mom?" Serena asks, opening the fridge.

"Some orange juice would be great darling. Oh and before I forget, Rufus is taking us all out to dinner tonight when he gets home. I expect to see everyone there." Everyone agrees and Serena texts Chuck to let him know.

"Sit down Lily, we got everything under control," Jenny informs her and holds out a chair. Lily sits down and scoots herself in, smiling broadly at the sight of her and Rufus' kids going to such great lengths to take care of her. Lily has an idea that her husband put them up to this, but she is so happy that she doesn't care.

"I was thinking mom that we should look for a chandelier while Rufus is gone," Serena tells Lily and puts a plate full of pancakes, eggs and ham in front of her.

"Good idea, Jenny would you like to come with?" Lily asks her stepdaughter who agrees.

"Well, I have to go to my English seminar so I will see you guys at dinner tonight," Dan excuses himself from the penthouse.

"I am going to hang out with Elliot, see you late guys," Eric follows Dan out of the penthouse, leaving the three girls alone.

"That cleared the boys out of the room fast," Lily jokes and eats the last bite of her breakfast.

"Dan was never much of a shopper; I am surprised that Rufus is." Serena comments, and picks up her and Lily's plate to put in the sink.

"Rufus only goes because I give him my puppy dog face and say how much it would mean to me if he was there to help pick out things for your sister. He folds every single time," Lily tells Serena and Jenny who laugh.

"I will have to remember that the next time I want something from dad," Jenny says and grins playfully.

"If you do, don't tell him that I suggested it, he will get mad at me." Lily jokes and excuses herself to go get dressed. Serena and Jenny do the same and are to leave an hour later.

"Oh my god, it's so hot outside," Serena comments as they pile into the town car. Lily agrees and is glad that she chose a light blue sundress instead of shorts.

"It's only May and it's like 100 degrees," Jenny complains and turns up the air conditioning. The driver takes them to Restoration Hardware and they have a salesman escort them to their lighting department.

"I like that one!" Jenny exclaims and points to a jet black casted iron chandelier.

"No, I don't think black would fit with the gold and pink theme. I was thinking more white." Lily says and clicks a few pictures of different style chandeliers to send to Rufus.

"I really like that one," Serena tells Lily and points to a white chandelier with crystals hanging down.

"I agree, I think that would look perfect in the nursery. Rufus hasn't responded yet, but I am going to see if they have that in stock." Lily excuses herself and goes to find a salesperson. As she is talking to the saleslady, Lily's phone vibrates in her purse. She pulls it out and sees that it is a text from Rufus.

**Whatever one you want darling, xoxo. **_Figures,_ Lily thinks to herself and tells the lady she is talking to that she would like to order the chandelier they were discussing. Lily rattles off her email and home address and pays for her purchase.

"Good, now that's all settled, let's go to Saks." Serena says and calls the car back. The trio is taken to Saks' and split up. Jenny and Serena head to the misses department while Lily goes to the maternity section. They both agree to meet in the shoes in about two hours.

It takes Lily a while to pick a dress. Some of them are too tight around the abdomen and some look like she is trying to desperately cover up her baby bump. She wants something that compliments her belly, but not so much that it is the only thing you focus on. Finally after the tenth dress, she picks an emerald gown that has sequins around the neckline. Since she has a little time left over before she has to meet Jenny and Serena, Lily wonders over into the lingerie section with a smirk on her face. What better way to welcome Rufus home than a new bra and panty set? The only problem is she doesn't like the way she looks in them. Lily decides it is best to go for a teddy and finds a scarlet red one that has sheer cutouts on the sides.

Lily pays for her purchases and makes sure to hide the teddy deep in her bag, away from Jenny and Serena's prying eyes. She is starting to feel a little hungry, but ignores it, she, Jenny and Serena can get a late lunch after they are done here.

Serena and Jenny buy their dresses with the credit card Lily gave them. Serena picks out a coral dress with ruffles on the skirt while Jenny chooses a strapless brown dress with a sweetheart neckline. When they get to the shoe department, Lily is trying on a pair of YSL sandals that have starfish on them.

"I like that mom," Serena says and sits down next to her mother. Lily moves her foot from side to side, scrutinizing the footwear.

"I am going to find some heels if you would like to come with Serena?" Jenny asks, wanting to talk to her stepsister alone. Serena agrees and follows Jenny to the other side of the shoe section.

"What is going on? You are acting weird," Serena says to Jenny who practically dragged her by the arm to talk to her.

"Did Lily look a little pale to you?" Jenny asks, gazing around to make sure her stepmother is still trying on her shoes.

"She is probably just hot; it's like a million degrees outside." Serena brushes it off, not understanding Jenny's concern.

"We agreed to look after her while my dad is away."

"She is fine, we will pick out our shoes quickly and then take her to lunch." Serena declares and walks back over to where Lily is. She takes in her mom's appearance and realizes that Jenny is right. Lily's complexion is slightly flushed, but it could be from the hot weather.

"Mom are you feeling okay?" Serena asks Lily.

"Yeah darling I am fine. Did you girls find any shoes to try on?" Lily asks Serena who shakes her head. Jenny comes back holding a pair of brown peep toe Jimmy Choo's to match her dress.

"Those are adorable Jenny, I am going to get these in a different size," Lily throws her shoes to the side and stands up too fast. Feeling a little lightheaded, she brushes it off and keeps walking. Suddenly, her feet fumble and she falls forward, hitting her head on the corner of the steel bench, knocking herself unconscious.

Serena and Jenny gasp, both seeing Lily's fall from different angles. They run over to Lily and turn her over, shocked to see blood running down the side of her face.

"Mom!" Serena yells as she is lightly shaking Lily's shoulder. Jenny pulls out her iPhone, dialing 911.

"Hi, we need an ambulance inside of the Saks shoe department. My stepmom hit her head and it's bleeding." Jenny tells the operator, trying to remain as calm as possible. Serena pulls out her own phone and dials Rufus.

Rufus is performing one of the last few songs in the set; he left his phone backstage knowing that he couldn't answer it if it went off anyway.

**Hi, you have reached Rufus Humphrey. Leave your name and number and I will call you back.**

"Rufus, it's Serena, you need to call me as soon as you get this. My mom fell and hit her head. They are taking her to Lennox Hill now and we will be with her, okay, bye." Serena hangs up the phone and looks at Jenny, mirroring her panicked expression.

**A/N 2: That's all for now! I hope you liked this chapter, I will try to have one up as soon as possible, but first I have to update **_**Safety Net**_**. Please leave a review on your way out and pray that Rufly is endgame on the series finale. Thanks! **


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Thank you so much for all the reviews and I would just like to apologize to DanilaRufly, I read her story and she is completely right, they are similar. That was not my intention, whatsoever. Also, I need to say that finale was horrible, so that has motivated me to write more. I hope you enjoy this next chapter.**

**Chapter Sixteen**

_"Hi, we need an ambulance inside of the Saks shoe department. My stepmom hit her head and it's bleeding." Jenny tells the operator, trying to remain as calm as possible. Serena pulls out her own phone and dials Rufus. _

_ Rufus is performing one of the last few songs in the set; he left his phone backstage knowing that he couldn't answer it if it went off anyway._

_**Hi, you have reached Rufus Humphrey. Leave your name and number and I will call you back.**_

___ "Rufus, it's Serena, you need to call me as soon as you get this. My mom fell and hit her head. They are taking her to Lennox Hill now and we will be with her, okay, bye." Serena hangs up the phone and looks at Jenny, mirroring her panicked expression._

The paramedic s arrive within ten minutes and immediately put a still unconscious Lily on a stretcher. Serena and Jenny follow them downstairs to an awaiting ambulance.

"Can we ride with her?" Serena asks a medic as they load Lily into the ambulance.

"Sure, but you guys need to let us do our work," The paramedic tells them sternly. Jenny and Serena hoist themselves into the vehicle and the doors close heavily behind them. Serena and Jenny get a good look at Lily for the first time as they ride to the hospital. The gash on Lily's head is a few inches long stretching transversely across her right temple. The medics hook Lily up to a heart monitor and assess her wound while Jenny and Serena sit there helplessly watching.

"How many months pregnant is your mother?" The medic asks Serena and Jenny.

"Seven," Serena tells the paramedic, her voice faltering. The medic jots something down on a clipboard and whispers to the other medic. Jenny pulls out her phone and dials her father again.

"Thanks for coming to our show," Rufus says to a group of fans after taking a picture with them. He can't wait until this meet and greet is over so he can go home to his wife and kids. Rufus doesn't hear his phone ring and the call goes to voicemail again.

"Dad! Would you please answer your phone? Call me as soon as you get this okay?" Jenny hangs up the phone and slaps it against the thigh of her jeans in frustration.

"He didn't pick up, did he?" Serena asks softly, starting to get mad at Rufus. It might not be his fault, but her mother really needs him to answer the phone so he can come back and be with her.

"No, but he could still be doing his show. I am sure he will call soon," Jenny tries to defend her father halfheartedly. Jenny wants him to be here for Lily because she knows how much he loves her stepmother. The ambulance pulls to stop in front of Lennox Hill and the paramedics wheel the gurney out of the ambulance and into the emergency room with Serena and Jenny following close behind.

"Forty year old female, seven months pregnant, pulse and blood pressure are normal, laceration to her right temple," A paramedic rattles off as the awaiting nurses and doctors take Lily into a trauma room. Serena and Jenny are ushered outside by a nurse with no details as to Lily's condition.

Rufus breaks away from the band and the massive throngs off fans that surround them to call his wife. He is astounded to find seven missed calls and three voicemails from his daughter and stepdaughter. Rufus dials his voicemail and listens to them, concern skyrocketing after each one. He runs over to his band mates, his eyes wide with fear.

"Rufus, hey, what's wrong?" Kyle asks, ignoring the girls draped around his shoulders momentarily.

"We need to leave now, there is something wrong with Lily," Rufus says. Kyle pushes the girls off him and waves the other guys over to where they are.

"Get all of your stuff, we need to leave _now," _Kyle says, speaking for Rufus who has been staring off into the distance for the past few minutes. The band guys race to load their stuff into the van and they are heading off to Lennox Hill. Rufus dials his daughter who picks up on the first ring.

"Dad! Where the hell have you been?" Jenny asks. Serena mouths "Rufus?" to Jenny who nods.

"The show took longer than I thought. Never mind that, what happened to Lily?"

"We were shopping and she fell, hitting her head. Dad, she is still unconscious," Jenny says, her throat constricting with tears. Rufus deeply sighs and runs a hand through his hair.

"Oh my god, do you know anything? Have you talked to anyone yet?" Rufus fires questions at Jenny who clears her throat before answering her father.

"No, Serena and I were escorted out, but dad, Lily looked really pale before she fell. That might have had something to do with it." Jenny admits to her father who, if possible, becomes even more worried.

"Okay, I will be there in about an hour and a half. Please call me if you hear anything about Lily."

"I will dad, bye," Jenny and Rufus hang up. Rufus cannot believe this has happened. He shouldn't have left her alone. He will never be able to forgive himself if there are any long lasting effects on Lily or the baby. _Oh my god, what if the baby was hurt in the fall or Lily has some kind of brain damage from hitting her head? _Rufus needs to push these negative thoughts out of his mind; they are going to eat him alive.

Slowly, one by one, Lily's chocolate irises flicker open. A nurse working on her spots this and tries to keep Lily awake.

"Mrs. Humphrey, you are in the hospital, you had an accident. Do you understand?" A nurse asks Lily loudly, who is struggling to keep her eyes open.

"Ruf…us…" Lily mumbles and closes her eyes again. A doctor takes out a light and checks to see Lily's pupil response.

"She's out again, someone put a banana bag up here," The doctor calls out to the room full of nurses.

An hour later a nurse comes out of the trauma room and heads over to Jenny and Serena who are joined by Dan, Eric and Chuck.

"Is she awake? Can we see her?" Dan asks the nurse who gives him a questioning look.

"It's okay, we are Lily's children," Serena assures the nurse, leaving the part out about some being Lily's step and adopted children.

"She is okay, that is all I can tell you for now. Has anyone contacted Mr. Humphrey to find out where he is?" The nurse asks, flipping through Lily's file for Rufus' contact information.

"He should be here in about a half an hour." Jenny answers for them.

"Good, your mother's head wound has been treated and we moved her to a private room." The nurse relays to them and watches relief flood five faces.

"Can we see her?" Eric asks.

"Not right now, your mother needs her rest. I will let you guys in when we have spoken to Mr. Humphrey and your mother is awake. Please let us know as soon as he gets here. Excuse me, I have other patients to attend to," The nurse bids her goodbyes and heads over to another waiting family. The kids are left pacing the floor and biting their nails until Rufus arrives. Jenny sends a quick text to her father assuring him that Lily is okay, but still hasn't woken up yet.

A half an hour later, the tour bus pulls up in front of Lennox Hill's main entrance.

"I hope Lily and your daughter are okay. Please call us if you need anything," Jake tells Rufus who smiles slightly.

"Thanks guys, I really appreciate it and I will." Rufus says and reaches for his bags.

"Don't worry about those; we will drop them off at the penthouse." Jake tells Rufus who nods.

"Thanks again," Rufus runs into the lobby of the hospital, immediately heading towards the nurses' station. "I am looking for my wife, Lillian Humphrey. She was admitted here about two hours ago." The receptionist working the desk types something into the computer.

"Okay, your wife is on the third floor. Head around the corner and the elevators will be right there." Rufus mumbles a thank you and sprints towards the elevators. He jabs repeatedly at the up button on the elevator. In what seems like hours, the elevator doors finally ding open. Rufus nods politely to an elderly couple in the elevator while reaching over to push the number three button.

"Who are you visiting dear?" The elderly woman asks Rufus.

"My wife, she fell and hit her head," Rufus tells the woman who puts a hand on his arm reassuringly.

"I am sure she will be okay, but I will put her in my prayers anyway."

"Lily, her name is Lily, and I am Rufus. Thank you so much, I hope that you two are well." Rufus gets a thank you from both the man and woman as the doors open. He walks off and spots all of their children, sans Scott, waiting for him.

"Dad!" Jenny exclaims and runs over to hug Rufus. Despite his worry for Lily, Rufus smiles and extends his arms to Jenny who bear hugs him.

"I am so happy that you are here," Jenny mumbles into Rufus' shirt. Rufus caresses her hair and breaks away from the hug.

"Me too, all of you," Rufus looks to Serena, Dan, Eric and even Chuck. Chuck nods to Rufus and stands up.

"Now that the gang is all here, I am taking off. It was somewhat of a pleasure seeing you Humphreys; call me when Lily is awake." Chuck breezes past Rufus who reaches a hand out for Chuck to shake. Chuck stares at him in bewilderment, but meets his embrace anyway.

"I don't fully forgive you for what you did to Jenny, but you being here for Lily means a lot."

"Lily is my mother; I have to make sure she is okay," Chucks says and pulls his hand away from Rufus before leaving.

"Well that was kind of nice of Chuck," Eric comments and walks over to hug Rufus.

"As long as he is good to Lily, I can start to put the past in the past," Rufus says nonchalantly, although wishing Lily was there to see him make up with her adopted son. The thought of Lily not being with them in this family moment makes Rufus grin dissolve.

"We thought about calling Scott, but we didn't want to worry him all the way from Boston. Once my mom wakes up I am sure she would like to hear from him," Serena suggests to Rufus who seems to be okay with this plan.

"Mr. Humphrey?" The same nurse as before appears behind Rufus, tapping him on the shoulder. Rufus swivels around to face the nurse, trying to read her facial expression.

"Yes? Is my wife okay?" Rufus asks the nurse. _Lily first, baby second, _Rufus thinks to himself. If, god forbid, the baby didn't survive, they could always have another one if Lily wanted. There would never be another Lily for him.

"Hold on, let me introduce you to the doctor involved in your wife's case. Dr. James would you come here please?" The nurse asks a petite blonde female who joins the circle forming around Rufus.

"Hi, you must be Mr. Humphrey, I am Dr. Elizabeth James. I have been assigned to your wife's case." The blonde smiles and shakes Rufus' hand. Rufus shakes it, annoyance starting to fill his body. He just wants to know if Lily is okay, he doesn't give a damn about what the doctor's name is or who was in charge of doing what.

"Tell me about Lily," Rufus demands, having enough of the niceties and idle chit chat. The doctor isn't frazzled in the slightest and offers an empathetic smile towards Rufus.

"Your wife suffered a superficial laceration to her right temple which has been treated; her stitches will come out in a week. Due to her pregnancy, we couldn't do a CT scan so we aren't exactly sure if there is brain damage. I am very doubtful, based on her cut; she didn't take that nasty of a fall. Although I would like to keep her overnight just to be sure. The most important thing right now is for her to wake up and be aware of who she is and where she is. That should happen in the next hour or so. I just want to point out that your wife's blood sugar was substantially low which probably caused her fall." Dr. James finishes her update, looking to Rufus and the kids for any questions.

"The baby? Is the baby okay?" Rufus asks, torn between feeling ecstatic that Lily is alright and scared that the baby isn't.

"We had an OB/GYN do a battery of tests on the baby. Everything turned out normal. Like I said Mr. Humphrey we will know more when she wakes up." Rufus nods, taking time to process this information. Something that Dr. James told him resonates in his mind. What if Lily doesn't wake up? Or what if she does and has memory loss? He doesn't think he could handle Lily not knowing who he is.

"Rufus?" Serena asks and puts a hand on her stepfathers shoulder. Rufus snaps into attention and realizes that Dr. James is still standing there with the same stupid grin etched into her features.

"Thank you Doctor for the update, can I see her?" Rufus asks.

"Of course, but just you for now, we don't want to overwhelm her. She is in room 345 when you would like to go in." Dr. James leaves Rufus and the kids to absorb everything that she just told them.

"I am going to go see Lily. I won't be long," Rufus tells the kids.

"Sure, just let us know how she is," Jenny says, sending Rufus off searching for his wife's room. Meanwhile Dan, Jenny, Serena and Eric are left sitting there, waiting to hear news about Lily.

"I have never seen my dad that terrified in my entire life," Dan comments, breaking the uncomfortable silence. Jenny nods in agreement,

"My dad is usually calm in high stress situations, but not here." Serena and Eric nod, they are beyond glad that their mother has found someone who cares for her so much. They hope that Rufus never leaves Lily again, which based on today, that probably will not happen anytime soon.

Rufus reaches Lily's room, but doesn't enter just yet. Instead, he hovers in the doorway, taking in every inch of his wife. She looks so frail and fragile laying there in the bed. Her blonde hair fanned out on the pillow, a large bandage marring her otherwise perfect face. Rufus almost turns around and walks back into the waiting room. He thought he would be okay seeing Lily like this, but it is proving to be a challenge.

This is the woman who isn't afraid to defy him at every turn. The woman who is unpredictable, endearing, breathtakingly beautiful, the woman he loves more than he has ever loved anyone else. Rufus pushes himself off of the doorframe and scoots a chair as close as possible to Lily's bed.

He wishes there was something that was in his control, something that would help her. Sadly, there is nothing to be done. He isn't a doctor, and even if he was, the only thing anyone can do is to wait. So Rufus scoops her tiny hand in his and gives it a gentle squeeze.

"Hey Lil, you need to wake up. I need to see your eyes. Please wake up," Rufus whispers to her and smoothes down her silky hair. There is no response from Lily so far, just the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest. After about twenty minutes, Rufus gets up and goes back to the waiting room to see the kids.

"Has she woken up yet?" Dan asks with optimism. Rufus shakes his head and closes his eyes, starting to lose hope.

"Don't worry Rufus, you know my mom is a heavy sleeper," Serena says, although she knows this is different. Still, Rufus appreciates the effort and a ghost of a smile chases across his face.

"Thanks Serena, I better head back. I want to be there when she wakes up." Rufus can't allow himself to think of the possibility of Lily not waking up. The doctor said she was fine, so why can't Lily just open her eyes?

Rufus heads back into his wife's room, reclaiming his chair and her hand. With his right hand he reaches to caress Lily's exposed abdomen.

"Alex, you need to wake your mommy up." He whispers to his unborn daughter, who kicks softly underneath his palm at the sound of her father's voice. Rufus sighs and removes his hand from Lily's stomach. He lays his head down on the bed and closes his eyes.

_So much pain! _Lily thinks to herself as she groggily opens her eyes. _Where am I?_ _And why does my head hurt so much? _She gazes down to her husband who is sleeping softly beside her. Lily attempts to lean over to touch him, but the pounding in her head intensifies and she lets out a loud groan.

Rufus is only lightly sleeping and is wondering where that noise came from. Was that him? He opens his eyes and lifts his head up to see Lily staring at him. Lily! She is awake! Rufus beams at her and stands up to kiss her.

"Hi," Lily whispers, still feeling a little dazed. Rufus sits back down and intertwines their hands.

"Hi sweetheart, how are you feeling?" Rufus asks quietly.

"My head hurts and I don't know why I am in the hospital." Lily puts a hand to her forehead, touching the bandage with a confused look on her face. Rufus is a little concerned, but is trying to remain calm for Lily's sake.

"What is the last thing you remember?" Rufus asks her.

"Hmm…well I remember eating breakfast with the kids and then agreeing to go shopping. That's about it," Lily says, sounding a little defeated.

"Hey, it's okay. From what I heard from Serena and Jenny you tripped and hit your head. The doctors said your blood sugar was low which caused you to become lightheaded and to fall."

"Oh god Rufus, I am so sorry," Lily says as her eyes become glassy with tears. Rufus stands up and wraps his arms around her.

"I am sorry too Lil, I didn't mean to leave you by yourself." Rufus reaches down to kiss the crown of her head. Lily sniffs and wipes her eyes. Rufus rubs her back before pulling away and sitting back down.

"Is the baby okay?" Lily asks Rufus, biting her lip in anticipation.

"Yes, the OB/GYN said that the fall caused no problems with her." Lily sighs in relief, but isn't fully convinced.

"I really want to see her, do you mind?" Lily asks, a pout forming on her face.

"Of course, I will be back," Rufus kisses her cheek and leaves the room.

"Rufus!" Serena calls out as she sees Rufus exit her mother's room looking noticeably brighter.

"Hey guys, Lily is awake and she is already making me run errands for her. I will be right back," Rufus excuses himself from the kids and walks over to the doctor he talked to earlier.

"Come on, let's go," Serena says to Eric, Dan and Jenny. They follow Serena to Lily's room.

"Hi guys!" Lily exclaims and motions for them to come further in the room.

"Hey mom, glad to see you are awake," Serena rushes over to hug her mother. Dan gives Lily a kiss on the cheek and Jenny and Eric hug her.

"I am guessing Rufus doesn't know that you guys are in here," Lily assumes to which the kids blush.

"We didn't exactly get permission to be in here, but Rufus said that you were awake so we had to see you," Eric explains.

"Well I am glad that you did, I missed you guys," Lily is overjoyed to see the support from her and Rufus' kids.

"Chuck was here earlier, but he left as soon as he found out that you were okay. And we thought it would be best not to talk to Scott until you woke up." Serena explains to Lily who nods in understanding.

"Hey kids," Rufus says as he enters the room with an OB/GYN resident who is wheeling in an ultrasound machine. The OB removes the fetal monitor encompassing Lily's abdomen and the kids move to the side so the doctor can work.

"You guys can stay if you want," Lily tells them as the doctor puts the probe on her abdomen. Rufus snags Lily's hand as she shivers as the gel making contact with her skin.

"There is your daughter," The doctor says as the baby comes up on the screen. Lily and Rufus beam at each other, glad that their child is fine. The resident removes the probe and turns the machine off, excusing himself from the room.

"I told you she was fine," Rufus jokes. Lily sticks her tongue out at him and turns her attention to the kids.

"I am glad you are awake, but it's getting pretty late. I think we are going to get some dinner and head home," Serena informs Rufus and Lily.

"Okay, thank you for all you did today kids. It really means a lot," Lily tells them and hugs each kid one by one. Serena, Jenny, Eric and Dan file out leaving Lily and Rufus alone.

"So how was the show?" Lily asks. Rufus laughs and shakes his head; leave it to his wife to be concerned about his show rather than her.

"It was good, but I missed you," Rufus admits.

"Don't worry; I will be there the next time Lincoln Hawk performs, maybe Alex too. So what time can I leave?" Lily asks, looking at the clock on the wall which reads half past five. Rufus sighs; he knows how much she hates hospitals.

"Lil, you are going to have to stay overnight." A frown cuts through Lily's smile.

"Why? I am fine and the baby is fine, I shouldn't have to stay," Lily protests.

"They couldn't do a CT scan on you because you are pregnant so they just want to watch you overnight just in case." Rufus explains to her, although he is aware that isn't going to change Lily's mind about staying over.

"Okay, I guess I can manage one night here, as long as they discharge me the first thing tomorrow morning," Lily tells him in a threatening tone. Rufus smiles at her and squeezes her hand.

"I am sure you can pay someone off to discharge you." Lily blushes and looks away from Rufus.

"Way ahead of you," Lily says and starts getting out of bed, fighting the dizziness. Rufus jumps up and sits down on the bed next to her.

"Lil, what are you doing?" Rufus asks as he sees Lily struggling to stand up.

"I need to pee," Lily says simply and scoots to the edge of the bed.

"Let me help because you are going to fall," Rufus insists and wraps his arm around her. Lily glares at him and heaves herself off of the bed without warning. She sways and starts to fall back; luckily Rufus is there to catch her.

"Don't say anything," Lily warns. Rufus bites his lip and walks with her into the bathroom taking the IV pole with them.

"Oh my god!" Lily exclaims as she looks at herself in the mirror for the first time since her fall. She lightly touches the bandage and looks at Rufus with tears in her eyes.

"Honey you still look beautiful," Rufus assures her and kisses her cheek. Lily nods and gives him a melancholy smile. Carefully, Lily uses the bathroom with her husband's help.

"That was romantic," Lily says sarcastically as they wash their hands. Rufus shrugs and hands her a paper towel.

"We sure know how to spice things up in our marriage," Rufus jokes back and helps her back into bed. Lily pulls the covers back over her, starting to feel tired.

"What do you say I get some dinner for us and then leave you to sleep?" Rufus suggests to her.

"Sure, can you get me a Caesar salad?" Lily asks.

"Okay, I'll be back," Rufus heads out of the room to look for the cafeteria. He returns twenty minutes later with a salad for Lily and a turkey sandwich for him.

Lily picks at her salad, which isn't surprising given the fact that she has a headache and is hooked up to an IV. Rufus can sense that Lily is ready to sleep and kisses her goodnight.

"Bye, I will be back as soon as I get up tomorrow morning," Rufus promises her and gives her another kiss. Lily draws the covers to her chin and rolls over as Rufus turns the light off before he walks out the door.

Rufus arrives home to his and Lily's kids cooking dinner.

"Hey Rufus, how's mom doing?" Eric asks. Rufus is momentarily stunned that they are all cooking dinner.

"She is good…what are you guys making?" Rufus asks.

"Pasta, it's the only thing my mother ever taught us how to cook," Serena answers and picks up the pan to drain over the sink. Rufus laughs, that is so typical of his wife to teach her kids the only thing she knows how to make.

"Well I appreciate it. I will have to teach you kids how to cook since Lily obviously doesn't know how to," Rufus jokes and helps set the table.

"She made me chili once," Jenny says from the fridge, grabbing drinks for everyone.

"Actually, I made that for her the day before. I had to give her instructions on how to reheat it," Rufus informs his daughter eliciting laughter from all the kids.

"I called Scott and he wanted to come down but I reassured him that everything is fine. Can you have Lily call him in the morning? He was still a little freaked out," Dan tells Rufus.

"Sure, but for now, let's eat." Rufus is still hungry from his mediocre sandwich he had at the hospital with Lily. They have a nice dinner and play a game of Scrabble to help Rufus get his mind off of Lily not being here.

"Goodnight kids," Rufus bids them goodnight about a little after ten. He heads upstairs and spots his bags laying on his and Lily's bed. Rufus changes out of his clothes and into something more comfortable before climbing into bed.

This is the first night that he has slept in their bed without Lily. Whenever they would fight he would just go back to the loft and sleep in his own bed. He has grown so accustomed to slinging his arms around his wife, pulling her close, breathing in her scent while he slept. Now her side of the bed is cold and empty. Rufus lays there with his eyes open for awhile, going over their hectic day.

He could have lost Lily and their child today because he left her by herself. Rufus shakes the negative thoughts out of his head; Lily and the baby are _fine. _She is going to come home tomorrow, just relax. Eventually his eyes droop shut and Rufus is asleep.

The next morning Rufus wakes up around nine and starts cooking breakfast for everyone. Serena and Jenny are the first ones to wake up, allured by the scent of waffles coming from the kitchen.

"My mom is going to kill you if you make her wait any longer," Serena warns.

"I am going to eat and then leave I promise," Rufus says and puts waffles on the girls' plates. Serena casts a doubtful glance at him, but Rufus holds up his steaming plate of waffles to pacify her. They are joined by Eric and Dan ten minutes later. Rufus gobbles down his waffles and says goodbye to the kids.

Stepping off the elevator on the third floor, Rufus hears Lily before he can see her.

"I am an adult, I can discharge myself!" Lily exclaims at some nurse.

"We need someone who can take you home," The nurse tells her. Rufus puts his hand over his mouth to hold back his laughter.

"There you are," Lily snaps at Rufus once he appears in the doorway.

"Hello to you too darling. Are you happy to see me?" Rufus sarcastically says to Lily.

"I'll just go get the discharge papers," The nurse excuses herself from the room.

"I am because these idiots wouldn't let me go without you," Lily pouts as Rufus sits on the foot of the bed.

"That is probably smart considering you can barely stand up without my help," Rufus tells her and gives her a cheeky grin. Lily glares at him and juts her chin out defiantly.

"I can take care of myself," Lily says childishly. The nurse returns a few minutes later with Dr. James. They take out Lily's IV and hand her the discharge instructions.

"You need to be at home, in bed, resting for the next few days. No heavy lifting, no driving, and try not to get your stitches wet. Come back immediately if there is any bleeding or if you throw up. I want to see you in a week to take out your stitches, but other than that, you are good to go." Dr. James shakes Lily and Rufus' hand before leaving.

"Here are your clothes, let me know when you are ready to leave," The nurse hands Lily a bag full of her personal effects and closes the door behind her.

With Rufus' help, Lily changes back into the outfit she was wearing yesterday.

"Ew, I need a shower," Lily complains. Rufus rolls his eyes at her and assists her out of bed.

"I told you, you look beautiful," Rufus kisses her cheek and laces his fingers through hers. The nurse comes back in with a wheelchair.

"Oh, I don't need that," Lily insists.

"I am sorry Mrs. Humphrey, but its hospital policy," Lily huffs and plops herself down in the chair. Rufus follows close behind, letting go of her hand to push the elevator button for them. Once they are in the lobby, Rufus dials their driver to pull the car around.

"Take it easy Mrs. Humphrey," The nurse says as the town car comes into view.

"Thank you for all your help," Lily says to the nurse and takes Rufus' hand who leads her to the car. The driver shuts the door for them and they are off.

"Do you have any stops to make before we go home?" Rufus asks her.

"Looking like this? No thanks, I would rather just go home." Rufus chuckles and slings an arm around her.

"We are going to lie in bed together for the next few days and watch your favorite movies okay?"

"Mmm…I wouldn't have it any other way," Lily lifts her head so she can plant a kiss on the corner of Rufus' mouth.

They arrive at the penthouse with the kids waiting for them. They rush over to hug Lily and ask how she is feeling. She hasn't seen so much concern from the kids for her since they thought she had cancer.

"I am fine guys; I just have to relax at home for a few days, that's all." The kids visibly relax and smile at Lily.

"Who is up for a movie?" Rufus asks breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Sorry, I promised to go meet Blair. She is having some Chuck problem again," Serena says regretfully. Dan, Eric and Jenny already had plans and the kids leave. Lily yawns and stretches, the hospital bed left kinks in her back.

"Do you want to take a bath before we watch a movie?" Rufus asks her to which Lily nods. Rufus takes her hand and leads her into their bathroom. Lily strips and coaxes Rufus to get into the bath with her. Rufus sheds his clothes and climbs in behind her, encircling her in his arms.

"We should go on a family vacation before the baby is born," Lily suggests, leaning her head back into Rufus' chest.

"That would be fun, but we can't go far because you can't fly," Rufus reminds her.

"We could go to the Hamptons house for a long weekend," Lily recommends.

"That would be fun if you are feeling okay," Rufus warns.

"I am sure the kids would love to get away and I would too."

"I think we all need a vacation after that scare you gave us Mrs. Humphrey," Rufus teases and kisses her left temple.

"I am sorry, I just thought that would be the best way to get you running back here," Lily jokes.

"Well it worked, don't ever do something like that to me again."

"I will try not to. Oh, I showed the kids the nursery and Jenny came up with the idea of us taking some pictures while I was still pregnant for the baby's room. What do you think?" Rufus makes a face,

"Don't you think that is kind of cheesy Lil?"

"They don't have to be professional pictures or anything. Please Rufus? We need pictures for her room." Lily makes her best puppy dog face at Rufus complete with a batting of the eyelashes.

"Fine but we are not color coordinating."

"Deal." Lily giggles as she shakes the hand Rufus offers her.

"Did we actually just compromise on something?" Rufus asks, feigning shock.

"I think we did, it must be my headache getting to me."

"I am ready to get out of the tub if you are," Rufus reaches past her and pulls the drain, sending the water away. He gets out of the tub first and grabs towels for them. Rufus grabs Lily's hands and helps her stand up before swaddling her in a towel.

"Thank you," Lily says genuinely and kisses Rufus on the nose. Rufus and Lily change into their lazy clothing before cuddling in bed together.

"Did my bags ever make it back here?" Lily asks distractedly as they are watching previews.

"After everything that has happened, you are worried about the stuff you bought at Saks?" Rufus asks in disbelief.

"Hey! That was a very expensive dress that I bought and there was something for you in there as well." Lily defends herself, casting an arrogant smile at Rufus.

"You will have to ask Jenny or Serena about that later," Rufus tells her as Lily lays her head down on his chest.

"I promise it's worth waiting for," Lily says innocently and presses play on the remote. She can feel Rufus shaking his head and she lets out a laugh.

**A/N 2: That's all for now! I hope I didn't get any of the medical stuff wrong. Next chapter, they go to the Hamptons and things get a little tense for Rufus and Lily. Please leave a review on your way out! Thanks for reading.**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: As always, thank you so much for all your reviews, I really appreciate them. For this chapter, I took something from **_**Gossip Girl **_**and added my own little twist on it. I hope you guys like this, enjoy! **

"Thank you so much for taking care of me these past few days," Lily tells Rufus who brings in a breakfast tray full of food for the fifth day in a row.

"No problem, I am your husband and I do love you," Rufus tells her as he sets the tray on her lap and gives her a kiss on the cheek. Lily starts cutting the waffles Rufus made for her while Rufus takes a sip of her orange juice. Ever since Lily came home from the hospital five days ago, Rufus has canceled everything to stay home and keep her company. Lily is surprised that Rufus has gone to such great lengths to take care of her; it shows how much he truly loves her.

They have spent the last five days watching movies, putting the nursery together, going out to dinner and taking walks around the neighborhood.

"Is today going to be the day that you finally put the letters up in Alex's room?" Lily asks with a hopeful smile. Rufus groans and takes the last bite of Lily's waffle.

"Can't you just hire someone to do it like you always do?" Rufus asks. Lily shakes her head,

"Nope, you promised that you would do it. If I remember our conversation correctly, you said that you are a man and a man can handle hanging something up."

"I don't ever remembering saying something like that," Rufus tries to say with a serious face but breaks out in a grin. Lily puts the tray on Rufus' side of the bed as Rufus brings his face closer to hers.

"Really?" Lily asks in a whisper and meshes his lips to hers. Rufus threads his hands through her hair as he deepens their kiss. Lily severs contact by lightly pushing him back onto the edge of the bed.

"Nice try, but you aren't getting any until I see those letters hanging up in our daughter's room," Lily says. Rufus sighs and bites his lips in frustration.

"You started it," Rufus points out and leaves the room. Lily furrows her eyebrows in confusion and pushes the sheets aside to get out of bed. She pads out of her room and follows Rufus into the nursery. Rufus is looking for the letters they bought a while back.

"Lil!" Rufus calls, unaware that Lily is hovering in the doorway.

"What?" Lily asks, enjoying seeing Rufus jump and turn around quickly to face her.

"Where are the letters that you so desperately need to have hung up today?" Lily glosses over the feigned irritation in Rufus' question.

"They are in the Basics Plus bag at the bottom of the closet," Lily walks over to the closet and slowly bends down to grab the bag. Rufus takes the bag from her and helps her to her feet.

"Where do you want the letters?" Rufus asks her as he takes the letters out of the bag and sets them down on the changing table. Lily sits down on the edge of the recliner and points to over the crib.

"I was thinking center them over the crib, straight across," Lily tells him.

"Do we own a hammer?" Rufus asks Lily who shrugs.

"Don't get up, I'll go look," Rufus tells her and brushes past her.

"Hey! I am seven months pregnant, don't forget that!" Lily calls to Rufus' retreating form.

"How can I when you are here to constantly remind me?" Rufus asks her from what Lily assumes is the kitchen. Lily laughs at her husband's flippant response and waits for him to come back. Five minutes later, Rufus reenters the nursery wielding a hammer.

"Where did you find that?" Lily asks, surprised that he found one.

"In a linen closet downstairs, I had to wipe off cob webs from it," Rufus jokes and walks over to the space between the crib and the wall. Lily rolls her eyes as she watches Rufus work. Rufus hangs up the first two letters as Lily scrutinizes the placement of the letters. He is starting to grow annoyed by Lily and decides to mess with her.

"OW!" Rufus says and drops the hammer to the floor, pretending to have hit his thumb with it. Lily gasps and walks as fast as she can over to Rufus' side.

"Let me see," Lily tells him and tries to get a good look at his injured thumb. Rufus can't contain himself anymore and starts laughing. Lily realizes that he is screwing with her and swats him angrily on the shoulder.

"You scared me and Alex!" Lily scolds him and rubs her abdomen to get her daughter to stop kicking her so fiercely.

"Aw, I'm sorry honey," Rufus says and caresses her stomach, before leaning in to kiss her pout away.

"Get back to work," Lily mumbles against their conjoined lips. Rufus laughs and finishes hanging up the letters. He steps back to admire his construction work. Lily comes behind him and snakes her arms around his waist, pressing herself as close as to him as possible.

"You can't really do that anymore, can you?" Rufus asks, feeling little flutters from their daughter in his back.

"No, but the letters look good, thank you," Lily says and kisses the nape of his neck. Rufus moves his arm so Lily can stick her head through.

"I just did it so you would stop nagging me," Rufus kisses her shiny golden tresses to assure her that he is kidding.

"I have to get my stitches out today," Lily mutters softly as stands up straight, her back starting to hurt from bending it for so long.

"When is your appointment?" Rufus asks they transition back to their room.

"I have to leave in an hour," Lily says while she is examining her closet for something to wear.

"Is this your way of asking me if I will go with you?" Rufus asks which makes Lily blush. She yanks her silk pajama top off in order to change into a mint green wrap dress.

"It might hurt and I don't want to be alone," Lily admits in a tiny voice. Rufus gets up from the bed and walks over to her, tucking a loose tendril behind her ear.

"I will go with you as long as you don't break any of my fingers," Rufus tells her and kisses her forehead. Lily gives him a close-lipped smile,

"I am not promising you anything," she murmurs and disappears into the bathroom to finish getting ready.

An hour later, Rufus and Lily climb into the town car that drives them to Lennox Hill.

"For as much as you claim that you hate hospitals we have been coming here a lot recently," Rufus comments as the car pulls to a stop in front of the hospital.

"I would love to not come here until Alex is born," Lily says as Rufus opens the door for them. Lily takes his hand in appreciation and they remain hand in hand as the stroll into Lennox Hill. They take the elevator to the surgical floor and sign in at the nurses' station.

"Who are you seeing to get your stitches out?" Rufus asks as they sit down in the waiting room.

"Dr. Morrison, he is the most highly recommended plastic surgeon on the east coast," Lily tells him with an arrogant smile.

"You are having a consultation with a plastic surgeon just to take your stitches out?" Rufus asks in disbelief.

"I don't want to end up with a huge scar on my face just because some idiot messes up. I want the best care possible." The nurse calls Lily's name and they follow her back to an empty exam room.

"Dr. Morrison will be with you shortly," The nurse tells the couple and closes the door behind her.

"Well at least they didn't weigh me or take my blood this time," Lily comments as they are waiting for the doctor.

"I kind of miss that disgusted face you make when they stick a needle in you, I think it's very cute," Rufus bumps her shoulder lightly as Lily puts her head down on his. There is a knock on the door that cuts through their conversation,

"Come in!" Lily calls. An elderly man with salt and pepper hair walks in and sits down on an empty chair across from the couple. Lily and Rufus shake the doctor's hand after he washes his hands.

"Hello Mrs. Humphrey, how is your head feeling?" Dr. Morrison asks and steps closer to take the bandage off. Lily winces slightly as Rufus snags her hand for support.

"Good, I have tried my best not to get my wound wet and my headache is lessening day by day," Lily tells the doctor and squeezes Rufus' hand in silent in silent gratitude for coming with her today.

"That is great news," Dr. Morrison says offhandedly and brushes his hand over the two inch long gash.

"Will I have a scar?" Lily asks in a frightened voice.

"A small one, about as long as your wound," The doctor informs her as he gets the surgical tray ready. Lily tries not to tense up at the sight of the tools on the tray.

"Okay," Lily says in a defeated tone not diverting her eyes from the tray.

"This won't hurt, the most you feel is a slight pulling sensation," Dr. Morrison reassures her after noting the pale hue of Lily's face.

"Lil, you are going to give birth in a few months this will be a walk in the park," Rufus whispers in her ear to calm her down. Lily grins in gratitude and tells the doctor that she is ready. Dr. Morrison first cleans the wound with an antiseptic and then uses forceps to pick up the knot in each suture. Then the doctor selects a small scalpel and Lily backs her head away.

"I am just going to cut the suture, don't worry," Dr. Morrison pacifies Lily who still looks unsure. Rufus runs his thumb over her knuckles in order to soothe her. Lily scoots forward again and Dr. Morrison continues the procedure. Removing her stitches takes less than fifteen minutes and Dr. Morrison puts adhesive strips over the wound to allow it to continue to heal.

"There, you are all done Mrs. Humphrey. You can shower with the adhesive strips on and don't worry about when they fall off, it doesn't really matter." The doctor says and rewashes his hands.

"Thank you," Lily says and palpates her bandage. Dr. Morrison leaves the room followed by Rufus and Lily.

"That wasn't so bad, right?" Rufus asks as he wraps an arm around her.

"No," Lily admits quietly and her face flushes a pinkish shade. Rufus opens the car door for her and she slides in slowly. Rufus climbs in after her and slams the door shut.

"I am just looking forward to our vacation to the Hamptons tomorrow," Rufus says as they lounge in the town car.

"I know, I am just sad that Scott can't come," Lily cranes her head to face him and frowns.

"Boston is four hours away from the Hamptons; it would be pointless to have him drive up there just for the weekend," Rufus points out. Lily sighs in understanding,

"I know I just wish all of our kids could come. Poor Chuck has to work all weekend for me."

"I'm not that worried about Chuck." Lily furrows her eyebrows,

"Are you still mad at Chuck for what he did to Jenny?"

"No, I forgave him once he showed up at the hospital last week." A smile chases across Lily's face and she kisses Rufus on the cheek.

"Thank you, I know you did that for me," Lily brushes hair out of Rufus' eye and reaches to meet his lips.

The driver opens the door for them once they arrive back at the penthouse. Lily goes to their bedroom to pack some more while Rufus makes a late lunch for them.

"Hey Lil, do you want something to eat?" Rufus calls from the kitchen. Lily is in their walk in closet and throws a few dresses into her suitcase when she hears her husband's voice. She abandons her suitcase and makes her way into the kitchen where Rufus is digging through the fridge.

"I would like some chili," Lily requests and watches Rufus' face light up.

"Our daughter has good taste," Rufus comments and starts getting ingredients out.

"How do you know it wasn't me asking for chili?" Lily asks with a hand on her hip. Rufus gives her his signature boyish grin and quirks an eyebrow at her.

"I was told by Jenny that you said to her that the smell from my chili lingers making you nauseous." Lily drops her hand and averts Rufus' gaze.

"Well…I…uh…am going to finish packing so let me know when it's ready," Lily says and gives him a peck on the lips before walking back upstairs.

The next day, before they leave, Lily wants to buy another swimsuit for their trip.

"Lil, you don't need another swimsuit. We are only going to be there for a couple of days. How many suits do you need?" Rufus asks her in disbelief as he is zipping up his suitcase.

"Just one, I will be back in an hour, I promise," Lily assures him and gives him a kiss goodbye.

"I will leave without you," Rufus taunts her while she grabs her Birkin bag off of the floor.

"No you won't, you would miss me too much," Lily gives him another kiss and a wink before she leaves the penthouse. Rufus shakes his head at his wife's tenacity and brings their suitcases downstairs for them. The elevator dings open to reveal Eric walking in.

"Eric! Hey, I thought you were on your way to pick up Serena, Eric and Dan," Rufus says and hugs his stepson.

"My wonderful sister texted me and asked me to pick up the key to the house before coming to get them," Eric says sarcastically. Rufus laughs and mutters something along the lines of "just like her mother".

"I'll go and get that for you," Rufus tells him and disappears upstairs. While Rufus is gone, Eric gets an incoming Gossip Girl blast on his phone.

**Remember that Kiss on the Lips party a few years back? Well it looks like Chuck made a move on Little J who was just a freshman at the time. We always knew that Chuck liked his ladies, but we didn't think he was a cradle robber. Stay tuned for more details, xoxo. **

Eric turns off his phone and tries to tuck away his irritation before his stepfather comes back. Unfortunately, Rufus notices Eric's pissed off face and hands him the key.

"Eric what's wrong?" Rufus asks with concern. Eric puts on a stoic face and shakes his head.

"Nothing, thanks for the key," Eric tries to leave, but Rufus puts a hand on his shoulder.

"Your mother makes relatively the same face when she is upset, now spill." Despite himself, a miniscule smirk forms on Eric's mouth. Reluctantly, Eric takes his iPhone out of his pocket and pulls up the blast on his phone, handing it to Rufus. Rufus reads the text and is furious.

"Is this true?" Rufus asks in almost a growl. Eric nods slowly and puts the phone back in his pocket. Rufus rubs his face in his hands and tries to decide what the best course of action is.

"Okay, does Lily know?" Rufus asks, starting to make circles around the living room.

"Not that I know of, should we tell her when she gets back?"

"No, I don't want to ruin her last vacation before the baby is born. For right now, we keep this to ourselves."

"Don't you think she will get mad that we are keeping this from her?" Eric asks with distress.

"Probably, but let me handle your mother. The less stress we put on her, the better off she and the baby will be," Rufus tells Eric. Eric nods in understanding and Rufus hugs him goodbye.

"Alright, well I should probably go pick them up before I get a phone call from Serena threatening me," Eric says to lighten the mood.

"Lily usually gives me about twenty minutes before she calls so you have about thirty seconds to get to Brooklyn."

"See you in the Hamptons in about three hours or so," Eric tells him before he gets on the elevator. Rufus lets out a breath and scratches his head.

Lily comes breezing through the penthouse with three bags full of swim suits from A Pea in the Pod maternity store. Rufus turns around on the couch and eyes her purchases with a told-you-so look on his face.

"I know I know I'm late and I am sorry. However, I did pick up some really skimpy suits that I know you are going to love," Lily says with confidence and shows him a two piece magenta bikini. Rufus' eyes darken involuntarily and he gets off the couch, heading over to Lily.

"What else do you have in there?" Rufus asks and peers into the bag. Lily shuts it quickly and bends down to unzip her suitcase.

"You will have to find out when we get there. Are you all packed?" Lily asks as she scans through her swimsuits while Rufus wheels his suitcase over.

"Yeah, you can't even show me one more suit?" Rufus asks her as he encompasses his arms around her hips. Lily laughs and digs out a black polka dotted two piece suit. Rufus moans and kisses her cheek.

"What do you say we go upstairs…?" Rufus pauses to peck the hollow of her neck. Lily drops the suit and wraps his arms loosely around him.

"No, we promised the kids that we wouldn't take all day to get there," Lily protests weakly as Rufus' kisses descend.

"Come on, you know you want to," Rufus raises his head to kiss her passionately. As hard as she tries to resist, Lily feels herself melt into her husband's kiss. Rufus always has that power to turn her legs to jelly, to make butterflies erupt in her stomach with a single kiss.

"Fine, but we have to be quick," Lily intertwines their fingers and pulls him upstairs to their bedroom.

After they make love, Rufus feels somewhat guilty. He needed something to distract him from what Eric told him earlier. He also wanted to be sure that Lily would have the best vacation since their belated honeymoon so it will soften the blow when he decides to tell her about what Chuck did.

"That was amazing," Lily says and rolls over slightly to kiss his chest. Rufus smiles and smoothes down her sex-hair before he climbs out of bed.

"Aren't you glad that you listened to me for once?" Rufus asks her as he puts his pants and underwear back on.

"Actually, I kind of am, can you help me out of bed?" Lily sticks her lower lip out and holds out her hands.

"I am going to be glad when you have the baby so I don't have to pull you out of bed or off the couch anymore," Rufus says and hoists her up.

"Trust me no one will be happier than me. I feel like a beached whale," Lily says with a scowl. Rufus glides her hands up and down her bare sides.

"You look gorgeous, trust me," Rufus plants a loud kiss on her lips, making a smacking sound. Lily giggles and crinkles her nose,

"I am not having sex with you again if that is what you are trying to do." Rufus fakes an insulted face,

"Mrs. Humphrey, I would never try to sweet talk you back into bed!"

"Oh shut up, you definitely would and we both know it."

Rufus and Lily get redressed and get into the limo they acquired to take them to the Hamptons. Rufus slips an arm around her shoulders, bringing her as close to him as possible. While Lily is busy looking out the window at the city, Rufus is internally debating whether he should tell her now or wait until after their vacation. _Just tell her and get it over with. She will be able to handle it; she might even have good motherly advice on how to talk to Jenny about this, _Rufus thinks to himself. He whips out his iPhone and sends Jenny a text. Lily's chocolate irises flicker over to the bright screen as Rufus uses the arm around her back to text.

"Is Jenny okay?" Lily asks out of curiosity.

"Yeah, I just wanted to tell one of the kids that we are on our way just in case something happens," Rufus lies and pockets his phone. Lily nods and goes back to admiring the fleeting landscape.

Jenny feels her phone buzzing against her lap and she unlocks her phone to read a text from her dad.

**Hey Jen, Lil and I are on our way. We need to talk. –Dad.**

_I bet I know what he wants to talk about_, Jenny doesn't respond to Rufus' text and puts her phone in her Hermes bag.

"I saw on Gossip Girl about the Kiss on the Lips party, I wonder why that is just coming out now," Serena muses to Dan, Jenny and Eric.

"Who knows, secrets always do have a way of coming out around here," Dan says nonchalantly while he is flipping through _Lord of the Flies. _

"I think my dad knows about it, he just sent me a text saying that we need to talk," Jenny informs her siblings. Eric slides his eyes to the window which doesn't go unnoticed by Jenny.

"You told him, didn't you?" Jenny asks Eric who shakes his head.

"I didn't tell him, but I did show him the blast."

"Why?" Jenny asks.

"Rufus wanted to know why I was upset and I showed him," Eric explains.

"Eric was just trying to do the right thing Jenny, Rufus should know about it and he won't be mad at you," Serena says, defending her brother.

"Yeah but he will be furious at Chuck which Lily won't like," Jenny points out.

"We will see what happens, but for now, let's just enjoy this vacation for Lily's sake. She needs it after what happened last week," Dan pipes up and then goes back to reading his book. The kids nod in agreement and go back to doing whatever they can to pass the time.

"So Lil I…" Rufus starts, but stops when he notices that Lily has fallen asleep against him. Rufus lets out a breath of air and realizes that he missed his opportunity to talk to her for now. He tightens his grip on her and slides his fingers up and down her bare arm. Lily sighs in her sleep and adjusts her head on his shoulder. Rufus kisses her right temple and shrinks down in his seat until he is more comfortable. Rufus feels his eyelids starting to droop and he eventually succumbs to sleep.

"Oh my god this place looks better than the last time we were here!" Jenny exclaims as Eric unlocks the door to their Hampton's house.

"I think my mom and CeCe went a tad overboard on the redecorating," Eric comments as he sets his bags down on the bench by the door.

"Mom and Rufus should be here in about a half an hour or so. What do you say we hit the beach while we wait?" Dan asks.

"Good idea, let's go pick our rooms and change into our suits. Make sure you leave my mom and Rufus with the smallest room," Serena teases and rolls her suitcase upstairs with Jenny on her tail.

"Lily's pregnant, make sure she has at least has a decent bed," Dan calls up to them.

"She can share the couch with your father!" Serena calls back teasingly.

Rufus wakes up about an hour and a half later. He readjusts slightly to stretch his atrophied muscles without trying to wake up Lily. The Gossip Girl blast that Eric showed him earlier comes rushing back to him which causes him to sigh heavily, his face contorting into a grimace. Lily is starting to wake up and rubs her eyes. She looks at her husband who seems to be deep in thought.

"Hey what's wrong?" Lily asks her voice still husky with sleep. Rufus shakes his head and compels a smile onto his face.

"Nothing, why would you think that anything be wrong?" Rufus attempts weakly and can tell that Lily isn't buying it.

"I have known you for over twenty years; I know when something is up. Now, you just looked like you were about to kill someone. So, do you want to tell me what is wrong or am I going to have to guess?" Rufus puts his hand to his forehead, Lily is not going to like what he is about to tell her.

"Eric came by earlier and showed me one of those stupid Gossip Girl blasts. It was about Chuck and Jenny," Rufus makes sure to choose each word carefully, he doesn't want to upset his wife, but she isn't going to drop this until she knows every detail.

"Okay, what about Chuck and Jenny?"

"Chuck forced himself on Jenny at a party when she was a freshman," Rufus says and expects an astounded look onto Lily's face, but instead he gets a guilty one.

"I know, I know about what Chuck did to Jenny," Lily admits. Rufus scratches the side of his face and gives her a questioning gaze.

"What do you mean? How long have you known about this?"

"Jenny told me about six months ago," Lily feels Rufus bring the arm that was around her back to his side.

"You have known about this for six months and you haven't said anything to me?" Rufus asks in disbelief, trying to prevent himself from getting mad.

"Jenny and I were finally in a good place after all that happened with William and Holland. She was starting to confide in me and I didn't want to lose that."

"Still Lily, you have been lying to be for six months."

"I did not lie to you."

"A lie of omission is the same thing," Rufus fights back which Lily nods with remorse.

"I thought I was doing what was right," Rufus was expecting an apology from Lily, not a defense.

"You hid something that _your _son did to _my _daughter," Lily is taken aback by Rufus. She understands that he is upset and he has every right to be, but she doesn't like the fact that he doesn't consider all of the kids theirs. Lily tries a different approach in the hopes that Rufus will see it her way.

"Maybe Jenny came to me instead of you because she knew that I could take care of it," Lily tries.

"Just like you take care of everything else," Rufus says to her. Lily's eyes widen and she scoffs.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You sweep everything under the rug because you are embarrassed by your family," Rufus tells her knowing that he is taking the risk of her becoming mad. Not surprisingly, Lily puts her fingers to her forehead and bites her lip.

"I was trying to protect Chuck and Jenny," Lily informs him.

"From what Lil?" Rufus asks, clearly not getting her point.

"If word got out about what Chuck did, it would jeopardize his position at Bass. I would have to step in until they could find somebody to replace him."

"So you are making this about business? What about Jenny?"

"I didn't want Jenny's name to be splashed over page six."

"You were trying to prevent a scandal from breaking out? Do you realize that you sound exactly like your mother right now?" Lily is completely insulted by Rufus' question. He should know better than anyone how scared she is of turning into CeCe and for him to ask otherwise is utterly ridiculous.

"Think what you want of me Rufus, but I did what I thought was best to protect _your _daughter." Lily cannot bear to see the disgusted look on her husband's face. She knows what she did wasn't completely right, but she honestly wasn't trying to hurt him. Furthermore, Lily is aware that Rufus is expecting an apology from her, but right now she isn't ready to give him one. Sadly, they know how to get under each other's skin, what buttons to push to piss each other off.

"Lil…" Rufus starts, but he can't finish. He can't say he is sorry because he isn't right now. She covered something up about one of his children to protect one of hers. Lily's eyes become glassy with tears and she looks out the window. She sniffs and wipes away a cascading tear. Rufus reaches out to put a hand on her back to console her but he retracts it. More likely than not, Lily will shrug it off and push further away from him.

The Hamptons house comes into view and the limo screeches to a stop in front of the house.

"I will just get your bags," The limo driver says awkwardly and turns the car off. Rufus and Lily glare at each other and open the door to their own side, slamming it shut with equal force.

_This is going to be one hell of a vacation, _Rufus considers as he rolls his suitcase into the house behind his very irritated wife.

**A/N 2: I think this vacation started out great! What do you think? Next chapter is part two of their Hamptons vacation and Rufus and Lily get to talk. I will continue to write as long as I get reviews. Thanks for reading!**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Wow, thank you for letting me reach 100 reviews for this story! I really appreciate it! I am asking as I wrap up this story that you guys don't give up and keep reading and reviewing. Also, I don't know when the white party is in the Hamptons, but for my story it's in May. Thanks again and enjoy this new chapter.**

**Chapter Eighteen**

_The Hamptons house comes into view and the limo screeches to a stop in front of the house. _

_ "I will just get your bags," The limo driver says awkwardly and turns the car off. Rufus and Lily glare at each other and open the door to their own side, slamming it shut with equal force._

_ This is going to be one hell of a vacation, Rufus considers as he rolls his suitcase into the house behind his very irritated wife._

Lily swings open the door of the house with one hand as she rolls her suitcase in. She doesn't bother holding the door for Rufus who catches the door before it closes. The house is empty, making Lily wonder if the kids actually made it here okay.

"Kids?" Lily calls to no response. Lily looks at Rufus questioningly, but Rufus just shrugs back at her. Lily huffs in annoyance and slides the handle of her suitcase down so she can carry it up the stairs. Lily starts ascending the stairs, but is having trouble due to the heavy weight of her suitcase and the sharp pain searing up her back. Rufus can see the discomfort marring her face and sighs in defeat.

"Here Lil, let me help you," Rufus says and puts his hand over hers on the suitcase strap. Lily lurches her hand away and sets the suitcase down on the stair landing.

"I don't need your help," Lily snaps in irritation and rubs her aching back.

"Yes you do, now stop trying to hurt yourself and our child," Rufus says with conviction and slowly puts his hand back where it was. Lily slides her hand out from under his and starts walking up the stairs, leaving Rufus with both of their suitcases. Rufus picks up her luggage and trails behind Lily who is busy trying to find a room without any of the kids stuff in it. Her icy demeanor softens when she sees that their kids left her and Rufus the master bedroom at the end of the long hallway. Not that Rufus will be sleeping in the same bed as her as of right now, but it is the thought that counts.

Rufus hoists her suitcase on the bed for her. Lily gives him a nod of appreciation and unzips her suitcase, searching for her toiletry bag. Rufus is awkwardly standing behind his wife with his hands in his jean pockets, wondering what to say, if there is anything to say at this point.

Here they are again having what seems to be their favorite argument to have in their relationship. Rufus should know by now how different their moral compasses are and yet he is surprised when Lily does something like she just did. He is appalled that his wife would hide something about his daughter just to prevent a scandal from coming out. Can he still be married to someone who blurs the lines between wrong and right so much? Then he realizes, to his wife, she was doing what she _thought _was right because that is what CeCe taught her. That makes Rufus question whether he can raise a child with her.

"I will sleep in the spare bedroom downstairs tonight," Rufus announces, breaking out his reverie. Surprise flickers across Lily's face for a second, but is quickly covered up by understanding.

"Rufus I…" Lily is cut off by Serena knocking on the door clad in a teal bikini with a sheer white cover up. Lily and Rufus hug Serena while shooting each other a "we will talk about this later" look over Serena's shoulder.

"We were wondering when you two would finally get here. Did you have a nice drive up?" Serena asks animatedly. Lily paints on a smile and wraps an arm around her daughter.

"It certainly wasn't boring," Lily tells Serena, looking directly at Rufus who is trying not to wither under his wife's penetrating gaze. Rufus gives Serena a slight grin and rocks back and forth on his heels.

"Well Eric, Dan and Jenny are at the beach. You guys should come and join us," Serena offers.

"Sure darling, Rufus and I will be down there in a little bit," Lily says. Serena nods and leaves the room, noticing something is a tad off between her mother and stepfather. Usually Serena would walk on them kissing or with their arms wrapped around each other, their voices dripping with playfulness. Lily and Rufus were standing on opposite sides of the room with their worry lines heightened. Serena shrugs it off for now, she will ask her mother about it when they get a chance to be alone later.

"What were you going to say Lily?" Rufus questions, Lily notices the use of her full name, something her husband only does when he is mad at her.

"I would appreciate it if the kids didn't know we were fighting."

"Sure, not that I owe you anything, but if that's what you want, fine." Lily purses her lips and digs the one piece black swim suit that she bought for their Hawaii trip out of her suitcase.

"Great, now if you wouldn't mind leaving _my _room, I want to get dressed." Without another word Rufus rolls his suitcase down the stairs and into the bedroom adjacent to the kitchen and living room. As Lily strips off her clothes, she is starting to feel a little guilty about their fight. Her and Rufus never talk to each other like they just did and it is entirely her fault. Although Rufus did say some pretty harsh things to her, she did cover something up to begin with. Lily shakes the thought out of her head, this is the last vacation she is going to have for a while and she is determined to enjoy it, no matter what the circumstances are.

Rufus arrives at the beach first, having changed into a pair of Billabong navy blue board shorts and a white, ratty Lincoln Hawk tee. Eric and Dan are discussing books while Serena and Jenny are listening to their iPods and flipping through the latest issue of _Teen Vogue. _

"Hey Dad! Hey Rufus!" The kids greet him as he nears their conglomeration of towels and snacks.

"Hey kids, how's the beach?" Rufus asks as he sits on a mixture of Dan and Eric's towels across from Jenny and Serena.

"It's hot, I was thinking of going in the water for a little bit," Dan tells his father.

"I will join you after I talk to your sister," Rufus says, signaling to Jenny to take off her headphones. Jenny shuts off her iPod and heaves herself off of the sand. Jenny knew this talk with her father was coming, might as well get it over with now. As Rufus and Jenny stroll down the beach, Serena takes the opportunity to express her thoughts to her brother and stepbrother.

"I think Rufus and Lily are fighting with each other again."

"What makes you think that?" Dan asks.

"When I went up to get them, they were in the middle of a very serious conversation and my mom looked extremely annoyed," Serena informs the boys.

"How could you be sure your mother looked mad?" Dan asks in doubt.

"Serena has pissed off my mom enough during our childhood to recognize the look," Eric speaks for Serena, earning a glare from his sister.

"We will just have to ask Lily when she gets here," Dan says and goes back to reading his book.

"So why didn't you tell me what happened between you and Chuck?" Rufus asks his daughter, trying to keep the hurt out of his voice. Jenny looks down at her feet, averting Rufus' gaze.

"I didn't want you to have to choose between us and Lily," Jenny mumbles.

"What do you mean?" Rufus asks in utter confusion.

"I didn't want you to force Lily to make Chuck move out so you, Dan and I could move in," Jenny explains.

"If you didn't want us to know then why did you go to Lily?"

"We just made up and I wanted to know that I had her confidence, I had to make sure I could trust her." Rufus is starting to piece this whole thing together in order to attempt to find some way he can make sense of what his wife did.

"Jenny, I appreciate what you did, but just know that I always choose you and Dan over Chuck."

"Are you ever going to forgive him?" Jenny asks, referring to her adopted step brother.

"He hasn't exactly apologized so as of right now, no."

Lily arrives at the beach with her Kate Spade tote, a Nicholas Sparks novel and a lawn chair in tow.

"Where are Jenny and Rufus?" Lily asks as she unfolds her lawn chair.

"They went off to have a mysterious talk," Serena answers and looks at her mother's face for any clues. Unfortunately, Serena can't tell what her mother is thinking behind her giant Dior sunglasses. Lily doesn't comment and flips open her book. Serena, Eric and Dan go back to their reading materials as they see Rufus and Jenny come back towards them.

"Hey guys Jenny and I saw a jet-ski rental place down the coast. Does anyone want to go?" Rufus asks when they reach the rest of the family. Dan and Eric eagerly get up, but Serena stays behind with Lily who is pretending to be deep into her book. Rufus doesn't kiss Lily goodbye like he always does, which causes Serena to shoot her siblings an "I told you so" look.

Serena keeps popping her head up to study Lily then goes back to reading her magazine when Lily would glance over at her.

"What do you want to talk about Serena?" Lily asks, putting her book on the sand. Serena feigns an innocent expression,

"What makes you think I want to talk about anything mom?" Lily rolls her eyes and readjusts her chair so she is directly facing her daughter.

"You have had that same look on your face since you were two years old. So, spill," Lily says and puts her hands on her baby bump. Serena closes her magazine,

"When I went up to talk to you and Rufus, you looked awfully mad. What did he do to you?"

"I wasn't mad, what are you talking about?"

"Mom, as Eric so kindly pointed out to me, I have pissed you off enough times to be familiar with your face. Rufus can even do it perfectly." Serena imitates Lily's trademark to further her cause.

"He can?" Lily asks and then realizes that she gave herself away.

"See, you are mad at him!" Serena points at her mother who blushes.

"No, you have it the other way around, he is mad at me."

"Why?" Lily bites her lip; she feels like a hypocrite for confiding in Serena when she made Rufus promise not to tell the kids about their fight.

"I…uh…had to cover something up about six months ago and he just found out about it."

"Does this have anything to do with the Gossip Girl blast about Chuck and Jenny?"

"Yes," Lily admits. Serena shakes her head at her mother's stupidity; of course Rufus would get mad at her about this.

"How do I say this? Mom, Rufus isn't a part of our world," Serena says after a moment of silence, causing Lily to furrow her eyebrows in confusion.

"Of course he is, dear. What do you mean?"

"Well he is in the sense that he is married to you, but he doesn't know what it means to be a part of this world. He lived in Brooklyn before this, he isn't used to the conniving things people do to each other on the Upper East Side." Lily sighs,

"He told me that I sounded exactly like your grandmother." Serena flinches; she knows how much being compared to CeCe hurts Lily almost as much as Rufus does.

"Just apologize mom; I am sure he would appreciate it." Lily smiles softly at her daughter,

"When did you get so smart?" Serena laughs and puts a hand on Lily's arm, rubbing it comfortingly.

"I think it was between Dan and Nate, but this is the biggest heart-to-heart we have ever had."

"Well I am sorry that it took us so long, but I am glad we are doing it now."

An hour later, Rufus, Jenny, Dan and Eric come back soaking wet and dripping onto the sand.

"Did you guys have fun?" Lily asks the kids who nod eagerly.

"Yeah I didn't get the steering at first, but I got it eventually," Eric tells his mother and reaches for his towel. Serena notices that Rufus sits on the other side of her instead of the open spot next to Lily. Lily shoots her a knowing look and dives back into her book.

"Hey Jenny, didn't you say you needed an outfit for the white party tomorrow?" Serena asks her stepsister and winks at her, hoping she will get the message.

"Yeah, Lily why don't you come shopping with us?" Jenny asks, although she doesn't really understand what Serena is talking about.

"Sure Jenny, that sounds like fun, why don't you go back to the house to dry off?" Lily suggests.

"Yeah Jenny, I will come with you," Serena grabs her stuff and heads back to the house.

"Okay, what is going on?" Jenny asks in a hushed voice.

"My mom and Rufus aren't exactly getting along right now so I thought it would be best for them to be apart for the time being. Plus, I still want my mom to enjoy her vacation as much as she can," Serena explains.

"Does this have anything to do with the Gossip Girl blast?"

"Yeah, but don't worry, their fight has nothing to do with you," Serena lies to pacify her guilt ridden step sister. Jenny doesn't believe her and is determined to get Rufus and Lily talking again.

"Okay well I am going with the girls. I will just see you guys for dinner then?" Lily asks her husband and their sons.

"Yeah," Rufus gives her a non-committal response. Lily seems okay with that answer and turns to leave which makes Dan and Eric wonder if Serena was right about them fighting.

"Are you and Lily okay?" Dan asks Rufus.

"Yeah we are just having a little marital squabble, that's all," Rufus says, leaving no room for discussion. Rufus hopes that this is just a little fight between them and nothing more. He will be more than willing to forgive Lily if and when she admits that she messed up. They can get past this; they have to for the sake of Alex and their other children.

"I am sorry Rufus, I never should have showed you that Gossip Girl blast," Eric apologizes and puts a hand on his step-father's shoulder.

"Trust me Eric this is absolutely not your fault, don't worry." Rufus feels bad that Eric thinks he started his and Lily's fight.

"What are we going to do to get Rufus and Lily talking again?" Jenny asks Serena while they are tucked in a corner of a boutique while Lily is browsing through the baby section.

"As much as I like that you are finally on my mom and Rufus' side, there is nothing to be done. I think they just need to figure this one out on their own without interference from us." Serena knows that Jenny just wants to help, but Serena is sure that Jenny can't fix things. Lily just needs to admit that she was wrong even if she doesn't completely believe it and Rufus will forgive her.

"Hey girls, what's going on?" Lily asks when she approaches Serena and Jenny.

"We were betting on how many armfuls of baby clothes you were going to come back with," Serena lies and admires her mother's choices.

"I know Alex's closet is almost full, I thought a few more onesies wasn't going to hurt. Plus, this one has a collar. How cute is that?" Lily gushes and holds up a black onesie with a white lace collar.

"Wow, I think my sister is going to be the most fashionable baby on the Upper East Side," Serena comments.

"Of course she is you were when you were a baby. Are you guys ready to go?" Lily asks Jenny and Serena who nod. Lily pays for the baby clothes and Serena drags them into a nearby dress shop. They pick out five dresses for Jenny to try on. While Jenny is getting dressed into her last option, Serena and Lily sit on the couches outside of the fitting room.

"Did you tell Jenny about what we talked about earlier?" Lily whispers to Serena.

"She figured out that you two were fighting and she thought she caused it. I simply told her that it was between you and Rufus," Serena mumbles back.

"Thank you darling," Lily says and offers Serena a genuine smile. Jenny slides back the curtain and steps out of the fitting room to get Lily and Serena's opinion on the dress. The floor-length, sleeveless, beaded ruche gown is Serena and Lily's favorite.

"Jenny you look exquisite!" Lily exclaims.

"Yeah Jenny, you look great. You just need a cute pair of heels," Serena disappears and comes back with a pair of white Jimmy Choos. Jenny slips them on and admires the outfit in the mirror.

"That's the one, Jenny," Lily tells her stepdaughter with confidence.

"I agree. Are you and my dad going to the white party tomorrow?" Jenny asks through the curtain of the fitting. Lily chews on her bottom lip, trying to formulate a response.

"I don't know. I should probably make an appearance for Bass, but I am not sure if your father still plans on going. We will have to ask him later," Lily calls back. Jenny comes out in her normal clothes, carrying the dress and the shoes. Lily buys her clothes and they head back to the house. Dan and Eric are helping Rufus cook dinner.

"Rufus, you have to see what my mom bought for the baby," Serena says excitedly and nudges her mother. Lily is aware of what Serena is trying to do, but goes along with it anyway. Lily pulls out the various onesies that she got for Alex and lays it out on the counter.

"Cute, I like that one the best," Rufus says and points to a cobalt blue fleece footie pajamas with a giraffe on the pocket. Lily flashes a smile at him before putting her purchases back in the bag.

"Do I have time to freshen up for dinner?" Lily asks.

"Yeah it will be ready in ten minutes," Dan informs her. Lily takes her bags and heads upstairs. She puts the baby clothes on top of her suitcase and sits down on the bed. Lily rubs her face with her hands and shakes her head. She hates this awkwardness between her and Rufus, but she is still licking her wounds. Lily leans back in bed and closes her eyes, needing time to think.

"Okay, dinner is ready, can someone get Lily?" Rufus asks the kids fifteen minutes later. The kids each grab a plate of food and head to the table, pretending not to hear Rufus. Rufus turns around and sees the kids already sitting down, chatting while passing around the dishes. He walks upstairs to see his wife sleeping on top of the covers with her arm slung across her abdomen protectively. Normally, Rufus would wake her up with a kiss, but the last thing he wants to do right now is kiss her. Although he does admit that she looks beautiful sleeping so peacefully.

Rufus knocks on the door loudly causing Lily to stir. She rubs her eyes and hoists herself out of bed declining Rufus open hand. Lily brushes past him and walks downstairs. Of course their kids left two seats open right next to each other. Lily huffs and sits down in the seat next to Serena giving Rufus the seat at the head of the table.

"Switch with me," Lily whispers as she hears her husband grabbing a drink from the fridge.

"This is your chance to talk to him," Serena mumbles back and takes a sip of her wine. Rufus walks in the dining room and sees that the only spot open is next to his wife who looks just as pissed as he does. Rufus reluctantly sits down next to her causing Jenny, Eric and Serena to grin in victory. Lily stabs her fork into the chicken marsala with fury. She can't believe her kids pulled a fast one on her _again_. Now she is sitting in awkward silence next to her irritated husband which is just _perfect._

"So dad are you going to the white party with Lily tomorrow?" Jenny asks out of curiosity. Lily snaps her neck to the other end of the table to give Jenny a death glare. Serena puts a hand over her mouth to cover her laughter. Rufus swallows a sip of his beer before answering.

"I don't know. I might just hang out at the beach while you guys go. I am not really in the mood to go to a party," Rufus answers, his green eyes boring into Lily's chocolate ones. Lily gulps and takes another bite of her chicken.

"Well this isn't weird at all," Dan says sarcastically.

"What did you kids want to do while we are here?" Rufus asks, desperately searching for a new dinner conversation.

"Well besides the white party, I thought we could get some pictures for Alex's room like my mom wanted. Specifically pictures of you two," Serena suggests, unwilling to let Lily and Rufus off the hook. Lily stomps on Serena's foot under the table, warning her to _back off_.

"Maybe we better put that off for another day," Lily says.

"I thought we could go boating or something," Eric recommends, trying to prevent his mother from killing his sister.

"Sure, I think that could be arranged," Rufus jumps at the chance to switch topics. Besides, he knows that Lily wouldn't want to be on a boat anyway. Everyone finishes their dinner and the kids offer to clean up for once. Rufus and Lily are left alone at the table. _This is getting ridiculous, _Lily thinks to herself and throws her napkin down on the table.

"Excuse me, I have to go to the bathroom," Lily says and leaves the dining room. Lily realizes that she is being childish, but she felt suffocated in there. She promises herself that she will apologize as soon as Rufus wipes that revolted look off his face. She can't stand her husband looking at her like that even if it means hiding in the bathroom until the dust settles.

When Lily steps out of the bathroom the kids and Rufus are sitting on the couch with a slew of board games laid out on the coffee table.

"Which one do you want to play Lily? We were thinking Clue," Jenny tells her. Lily puts a hand on her stomach and fake winces.

"Oh you know I am not feeling that great so I am going to go upstairs and take a bath. I'll be down later for a movie," Lily says and rubs her swollen abdomen for emphasis. Rufus recognizes that Lily is faking it, but doesn't try to stop her.

"Okay, let us know if you need anything," Dan says and watches Lily go.

"Maybe you should go and check on her Rufus, make sure she is okay," Jenny tells her father.

"I am sure she is fine," Rufus pacifies his daughter and opens the Clue box, putting its contests on the table.

"Still Rufus, that is your wife and child, I think you should just be sure," Serena adds and takes the game board from him. Rufus concedes and walks upstairs.

Lily slips into the bubbles, allowing them to engulf her and take her worries away. She rests her head on the makeshift pillow and closes her eyes. A knock on the door interrupts the peaceful atmosphere Lily is trying to create.

"Come in!" Lily yells assuming that it is Serena or Jenny checking up on her after that disastrous dinner. To her surprise, Rufus peaks his head in the door.

"The kids insisted that I come and check on you. Are you okay?" Rufus asks with concern. Rufus wishes that he was in the bath with her like they do at home when they are having a particularly stressful day and want to relax together.

"Yeah, I am fine," Lily says and offers him nothing more. Rufus nods and leaves, slamming the door behind him. Lily cringes at the sound of the door and bangs her head against the pillow. _Damn it, you had your chance and you blew it! He isn't going to come to you; you have to go to him! _

Lily lets the water drain out of the bath, it no longer having the soothing effect that she hoped it would. She can hear the game going on downstairs as she grabs a towel. She wraps it tight around her body and leaves the bathroom, walking into her room. Lily sits down on the edge of the bed and surprisingly bursts into tears. Her own pride is ruining her marriage and she is letting it. Lily sniffs loudly and wipes her eyes. She shouldn't be crying over something she could easily fix, it's pathetic.

Lily decides that she is going to talk to her husband tonight, put this behind them once and for all. What if Rufus isn't ready to forgive her? What will they do then? She isn't usually the one apologizing when they get into a fight; this is relatively new to her. Rufus typically goes back to the loft to give her space for a few days and then does some sort of romantic gesture complete with an apology.

Lily gets dressed in her pajamas and can hear what she assumes is coming attractions for whatever movie her family is watching downstairs. Quietly, Lily sneaks into the kitchen to grab some Red Vines before sitting down on the couch sandwiched between Serena and Eric. Rufus, Dan and Jenny are on the other couch.

"What are we watching?" Lily whispers as she fumbles with her food.

"_Ted _I think it's the one with the teddy bear. Eric and Jenny picked it out," Serena whispers back and steals one of Lily's Red Vines. Serena never thought she would miss her mom and Rufus' teenage-like antics while watching a movie. They used to cuddle on the couch under one blanket, and kiss when they thought no one was looking. Hopefully they will be back to that soon, although her mom doesn't seem to mind. She is too busy laughing her ass off at this movie that Serena didn't think Lily would like.

After the movie is over, everyone retires to their separate rooms to sleep. Lily considers going downstairs to talk to Rufus, but guesses that he probably passed out right away like he always does. _Oh well, there is always the morning. _Shockingly, as soon as her head hits the pillow, Lily succumbs to sleep.

She is awoken at three in the morning by Alex doing somersaults in her stomach. Lily is trying to block the intense hunger and focuses on going back to sleep. _Seriously, what is with this kid being awake in the middle of the night? _ Lily thinks and tosses the covers back. She gets out of bed and pads downstairs, being careful not to wake anyone up, especially Rufus whose bedroom is spitting distance from the kitchen.

Rufus is having trouble sleeping, something that seems to correlate with fighting with his wife. He can hear someone trying and failing to be quiet in the kitchen. Suddenly he hears a loud bang followed by "SHIT!" He lurches off his covers and goes out to investigate. He finds Lily rubbing her head while holding a box of Ritz crackers.

"What happened?" Rufus asks his wife.

"I hit my head on the cabinet door and it hurts," Lily explains. Rufus nods with sympathy and digs in the freezer, coming back with a bag of frozen peas.

"Here," Rufus hands her the bag which she places on the side of her head.

"Thank you," Lily says and walks over to sit on the bar stool. Rufus smiles at her and then starts to head back to his bedroom when he hears "Rufus?" He swivels around to see Lily's eyes sparkling with unshed tears.

"What Lily?" Rufus asks, softening slightly. No matter how mad he is at his wife, Rufus never wants to see Lily cry.

"I am so sorry," Lily says and wipes away a tumbling tear. Rufus gives her his first real smile since they have left Manhattan. He walks over to her and wraps his arm around her, being careful not to jostle the bag of peas on her head.

"I am too, I said some pretty awful things to you," Rufus whispers into her hair.

"No you were right. I am more like my mother than I would like to admit sometimes." Rufus severs their hug to look her directly in the eye.

"You aren't Lil because CeCe would never apologize like you are doing now." Lily drops the bag of peas on the table and reaches to cup Rufus' face, bringing their lips together for an overdue kiss.

"Come on, let's go to bed," Lily mumbles as Rufus caresses her cheek with his thumb.

"Alright," Rufus mutters back and reaches down to snag her hand. Lily gives him a closed lip smile and leads him upstairs to her bedroom. Lily and Rufus go to their separate sides of the bed and slide under the covers, meeting in the middle. Rufus snakes an arm around her while Lily sets her head on his chest.

"Goodnight Rufus," Lily whispers and kisses him on the cheek.

"Night Lil," Rufus says and slides his fingers up and down her bare arm.

The next morning the sun blares through the open window, making Rufus and Lily wake up.

"Why didn't you close the blinds?" Rufus asks and holds up his hand to block the light. Lily rolls her eyes and slips out of the covers to bring down the blinds. Then she crawls back into bed next to her husband.

"You are so cranky in the morning," Lily teases and leans over to mesh her lips with his.

"Hmm…shut up…" Rufus says and deepens the kiss. Lily laughs against his lips and weaves her hands through his hair.

"Hey Lil, would you ever want another baby?" Lily loses her joking demeanor and frowns.

"Rufus, where is this coming from? Alex isn't even born yet."

"I am just curious; I just wanted to get your input on it."

"How about on Alex's first birthday we can talk about this in detail? I am not sure if I want to ever be pregnant again, it's not fun."

"What are you talking about? You look beautiful," Rufus assures her, brushing a kiss to her temple.

"You are a suck up," Lily's eyes slide up to Rufus who rolls his eyes. The truth is if pregnancy wasn't part and parcel of having a baby, she would have a hundred with Rufus. However, this pregnancy has been particularly hard on her. She is not about to sign up for nine months of morning sickness, back aches and mood swings especially when she is now in her forties. The chances of complications increase exponentially the older Lily becomes.

"What do you want for breakfast?" Rufus asks when he notices the distressed look on his wife's face. He knows that she will take his thought into consideration and maybe she is right, they should wait until after they adjust to having Alex before thinking about having another baby. Rufus merely asked because of the reason Lily is worried about. They aren't exactly in their thirties anymore where they could hold off five or six years before having kids. If they wanted another one it would have to be in the next two or three years. Besides, between the two of them, they have enough kids already so if it turns out that Lily is dead set against having one more, Rufus will be okay with that.

"I think you already know the answer to that question," Lily mumbles against his shoulder, her warm breath contrasting Rufus' cold skin. Rufus tilts his head to plant a kiss to her forehead then gets out of bed. Rufus walks around to the other side to offer Lily his hand. She laces their fingers together and lets him lead her into the kitchen where the kids are already bustling around.

"Hey! Look at you two coming downstairs together. I was wondering why Rufus' room was empty," Serena says happily when she sees her mother and stepfather walk into the kitchen hand in hand.

"Well I figured the least I could do was apologize and Rufus was nice enough to forgive me," Lily rubs Rufus' arm with her free hand.

"Who wants waffles?" Rufus asks the kids who all agree. Lily walks to the other side of the counter to join her kids while she watches her husband cook. A few minutes later, everyone is gathered around the table waiting for Rufus to put the first batch of waffles on the table.

"Thank you darling," Lily says when Rufus hands her the plate. Rufus kisses her and sits down at the head of the table.

"I am glad that you two made up, but please, keep the PDA to a minimum please. We are eating here," Jenny complains as she takes a bite of her waffle. Lily blushes and takes a long sip of orange juice.

"Well…after breakfast I want you guys to get dressed in your finest clothes because we are going to take pictures on the beach," Rufus announces. The kids agree although they think it's kind of cheesy, but acquiesce knowing that the whole reason they came here was for Lily. Rufus makes the boys clean up breakfast while Lily and the girls go upstairs to get dressed. Everyone meets on the beach a half an hour later.

"I know you were a former photographer but you do have to be in the pictures," Rufus tells Lily who is fiddling with the camera she brought up from her photojournalism days.

"If I trusted you with the camera your thumb will be in all of the pictures," Lily teases him back. Rufus steps back to admire the purple lace dress Lily is wearing while she puts the camera on the tripod.

"All set," Lily tells him and kisses his cheek before gathering the kids. Serena is wearing a periwinkle one shoulder dress that offsets her new tan; Jenny has on a crisscross beaded brown dress, while Dan, Eric and Rufus are wearing casual suits without ties. Rufus starts the timer and then rushes over to stand next to Lily. They get some family shots, pictures with Rufus and the boys, Rufus and the girls, Lily and the girls and Lily and the boys.

"Guys come here," Serena whispers to Dan, Eric and Jenny and gestures for them to gather around the camera. While Rufus and Lily are talking, Serena takes the camera off the tripod and starts snapping off-guarded pictures of the couple.

"I like this dress on you," Rufus says as he glides his hands up and down her sides.

"I think this suit looks amazing on you," Lily fixes his collar and then pulls him in for a kiss.

"I think we are being watched," Rufus mumbles as he kisses her again. Lily cranes her neck over her shoulder and gives Serena a radiant smile as she snaps the picture.

"Let's see what she has," Lily snags his hand and joins the kids huddled around the camera. They flip through the pictures and each pick their favorite ones. They decide on one with each parent with each set of kids and a family shot. Next, Rufus and Lily look through the pictures of just them for one to put in the baby's room.

"I like that one," Lily points to a picture of her smiling at Serena while Rufus is looking at her tenderly.

"No, I like the next one better," Rufus argues and puts his finger on a picture of their foreheads pressed together, smiling at each other with Rufus' hands on the side of Lily's stomach.

"Let the kids decide," Lily proposes and Rufus agrees. The kids decide on Rufus' picture and announce that they have to go back to get ready for the white party.

"Do we have to go to the party?" Rufus asks as he coils his arm around Lily's waist. Lily slides her eyes over to her husband's pleading green orbs.

"I should make an appearance on Chuck's behalf, it's only fair. Don't worry, we won't stay long."

"Can we at least arrive late?" Rufus asks and guides her away from the beach with a hand on the small of her back.

**A/N 2: That is all you get for now! Next chapter, Alex is born under some…ahem… interesting circumstances. Please leave a review and thanks for reading!**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: As usual, thank you for all your kind reviews, I always enjoy reading them. A little explicit toward the bottom, but nothing too bad, I really hope you like this extra long chapter! **

**Chapter Nineteen**

As Lily Humphrey is a week shy of entering her ninth month of pregnancy she is reminded how difficult being pregnant is. Sure, she loves the fact that her pregnancy has brought her and Rufus closer together, she just wishes the swollen feet, back aches and gigantic stomach weren't a part of it.

"How long have you been up?" Rufus asks her as he rolls over to face her in bed. Lily sighs and readjusts her pillow so she is higher up in bed.

"About ten minutes, _your_ daughter didn't let me get much sleep last night," Lily complains with a grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. Truth be told, she only managed to sleep about five solid hours last night. Partially because every time she moved she had to pee and the other part having to deal with her weird hunger craving at two in the morning. Rufus rests against the headboard and pulls Lily closer so her head is tucked in the curve of his neck.

"I know and I am sorry, but on the bright side it is only a few more weeks," Rufus says happily and crosses his arms over their bodies so his hands are resting on her right hip.

"We should have one last party before Alex is born," Lily suggests gleefully, her brown eyes sparkling with delight. Rufus isn't as excited about the idea and shrugs.

"I don't know Lil. What could we possibly celebrate?" Lily rolls her eyes as if the answer is obvious.

"Well, the Fourth of July is in a few days and we could have the party on that day. Just think, we could have all the kids here, even Scott and CeCe is in the Hamptons so we don't have to worry about inviting her," Lily says, already getting lost in the planning. Rufus loves the idea of having all of their kids together, but doesn't think an actual party is the best idea at this point in Lily's pregnancy. Lily can sense her husband's hesitation, but isn't sure why.

"You don't seem very excited for the party I want to have. Is something wrong?" Lily moves her head to try to get a read on him.

"Nothing is wrong Lil, but I don't think having a party right now is a good idea." Lily furrows her eyebrows and tilts her head in confusion,

"Why not?" Rufus scratches his forehead and shrugs,

"Promise you won't get mad."

"I will only get mad if I knew you were keeping something from me." Lily puts her head back where it was and slides her eyes up to her husband, waiting for an answer.

"It's just that you tend to…go a little…overboard with the parties and I don't want you to stress yourself out."

"I do not!" Lily exclaims and frowns.

"Remember Jenny's 17th birthday party? If I recall correctly, you argued with Butter over the phone for three hours because they refused to cater her party and had monogrammed Jenny napkins." Lily grins sheepishly and laughs, her breath warming the side of Rufus' neck.

"What can I say? I like to throw a party."

"I love that about you, but I just think that we shouldn't push it so close to your due date." Rufus tilts his head down so his face is inches from hers. Lily kisses him and slowly gets out of bed with Rufus' help. They transfer over to the kitchen where Rufus is busy making them breakfast.

"I appreciate your concern so how about we compromise?" Rufus takes the freshly made waffles out of the waffle maker and sets them on a plate. Lily gets them some grape juice and they sit at the table together.

"We aren't really good at compromise in our relationship," Rufus points out and takes a sip of his juice.

"That is true, but I am willing to meet you halfway so I can get what I want." Rufus knows this about her, a quality he usually finds really attractive in his wife. However, this involves the safety of her and their child, so he isn't going to play games with Lily.

"What did you have in mind?" Rufus asks with trepidation.

"What if I ask Serena and maybe Blair to plan the party, but we have the party here?" Rufus mulls over her proposal, his wife seems so excited about the party, he would hate to see her unhappy.

"Okay I will agree to this, but you have to stick to our deal. I want you to leave the majority of the planning to your daughter," Rufus says in a threatening tone, pointing his fork at her for emphasis. Lily laughs and leans over to peck him on the lips.

"Hmm…you taste like syrup. I promise I will stick to my offer and I will call Serena after we are done eating." Lily kisses him one last time and then goes back to eating the last of her waffle.

"Okay well since I have the day free, we should finish the nursery once and for all," Rufus suggests. Lily gives him a closed lip smile; she loves how involved he is with their daughter's nursery. She honestly didn't think he would care what theme the nursery was or what furniture to order, but he is shown that he does have a voice in the matter.

"You are just trying to get some from me huh?" Lily asks in a teasing manner. Rufus blushes and holds his thumb and index finger close to each other.

"Maybe a little bit, but I think that we should have everything done just in case you go into labor early."

"I just don't understand how you can still find me attractive. I look like Shamu," Lily says and gazes down at her swollen stomach with a pout. Rufus puts a hand over hers in order for her to look up at him.

"Lil, I have told you a thousand times before, you look beautiful no matter what," Rufus assures her and threads his fingers through hers. Lily kisses him on the cheek and picks up their plates to bring over to the sink.

"I am going to get ready, do you mind cleaning up?" Lily asks from the kitchen. Rufus brings his plate over to her and sets it on the counter.

"No, you go ahead and get ready, I got this."

"Are you sure? I can help," Lily protests and swings open the dishwasher door.

"Yes, I am positive. Besides, you take twice as long as I do to get ready anyway," Rufus starts loading the dirty dishware into the sink while Lily goes upstairs to get dressed for the day. Lily picks her iPhone off the bedside table and dials Serena as she heads into the bathroom to put her makeup.

"Hello?" Serena asks sleepily into the phone.

"Darling did I wake you up?" Lily asks as she cradles the phone on her shoulder.

"Not really, what's going on?"

"I was wondering if you could help me with something, it's more of a favor to Rufus than to me."

"I might if you tell me what it is."

"I want to have a Fourth of July party, kind of one last party before the baby is born and Rufus won't let me plan it."

"Why not?" Serena asks. Lily pauses to apply her eyeliner to her upper lid before responding.

"He doesn't want me to have to deal with the stress of planning a party so close to the due date." Serena breaks out into a smile; she loves how much Rufus wants to protect her mother.

"I agree with him mom; you have the propensity to put a little too much effort into a simple party." Lily huffs, she never realized this about herself before.

"Yes well, I just want the best for my family." Lily leaves the bathroom just as Rufus slips in. She gives him a quick kiss on the cheek before walking into her closet.

"No worries mom, Blair and I will plan everything out and we will have it at the penthouse if that's okay with you."

"Sounds perfect dear, keep me updated."

"Okay I will talk to Blair today and text you later."

"Alright thank you Serena for doing this."

"No problem mom, bye."

"Bye," Lily hangs up the phone sort of hoping that Serena would decline her of planning the party. Lily hasn't had a party at the penthouse since she became pregnant and she misses it. Although, if Serena didn't agree to help her then Rufus probably wouldn't let her have the party at all, which Lily wouldn't be too thrilled about. Lily appreciates Rufus' concern about her and the baby, but sometimes he treats her like a child. She understands that it has been awhile since he has had a pregnant wife so he is just trying to do the best he can. Lily shakes the thought off, she shouldn't be complaining about someone being too concerned for her that is just silly.

"Hey," Rufus coils his arms below her expanded baby bump, breaking Lily's train of thought. Lily smiles up at him and puts her hands over his.

"I just got off the phone with Serena and she agreed to plan the party. She is even recruiting Blair to assist her," Lily tells Rufus with excitement and severs their embrace as her eyes fall on the perfect outfit, a black skirt with her new gold Zach Posen tank top complete with gold flats.

"That's good to hear," Rufus says as he grabs a pair of white shorts, a dark red Ralph Lauren polo and brown flip flops. They get dressed and then order a car.

"What is left to get for the nursery?" Rufus asks as they slide into the town car.

"We need diapers, bottles and some more books, but I don't know where to get them."

"Take us to Target please," Rufus instructs the driver.

"Target!" Lily says in horror, trying to recall the last time she stepped into a Target, it just seems so _middle class_.

"I don't think the high end stores you are used to going to sell diapers. Plus, Target is cheap," Rufus says as he wraps an arm around her shoulder. Twenty minutes later, the car pulls into a parking spot at Target. Lily is hesitant to get out, but Rufus drags her to the front door. Lily gets out a Wet Nap and wipes the cart handle off with a disgusted look on her face. Rufus steps back to watch his wife in amusement, offering no comments.

"I can't believe you forced me to come here," Lily says in exasperation as she pushes the cart through the aisles. Rufus rolls his eyes and piles diapers into the cart. Lily grabs some bottles and throws in some pacifiers for good measure.

"You have no problem coming to Brooklyn but you can't come to a Target on the outskirts of Manhattan?" Rufus asks in confusion. Lily scoffs and moves the cart towards the front of the store, toward the checkout aisle.

"The only reason I ever go to Brooklyn is for you," Rufus and Lily pay for the items and give the bags to the driver while they climb into the back of the car.

"Can we go to Fifth Avenue now?" Lily asks making Rufus rolls his eyes at her again.

"Sure Lil, if you want to," Rufus asks the driver to dump them at Bergdorf's so Lily can do a little shopping of her own.

Meanwhile, Serena arrives at the Waldorf penthouse to meet Blair to discuss the party.

"Hey B, can you do me a favor?" Serena asks as she sits down next to Blair on her bed.

"Favors are for poor people who need money. What do you need S?"

"It's not what I need; it's what my mother needs." Blair is intrigued by this and props her head up with her hand, urging Serena to continue. "Lily wants to plan a party for the Fourth of July."

"Oh boy, a Humphrey soirée, how could I say no?" Blair says sarcastically.

"Please B, my mom and I are finally getting along, I thought it was the least I could do for her," Serena pleads, jutting her lip out.

"Ugh fine, but I draw the line at picnics and if Humphrey invites any of his NYU struggling writer friends to this party I am out of there," Blair says firmly.

"I promise that it will be just the family and a few close friends, but thanks B for doing this, I really appreciate it." Serena texts Lily to tell her that Blair and her are officially planning her party. Lily texts back with a thank you.

"Okay, so what should the theme be?" Serena asks. Serena and Blair bounce a few ideas back and forth with Serena texting Lily to get her input on each one.

Rufus sees his wife's fingers dance across her iPhone screen with a slight frown. He puts the shirt he was admiring back on the hanger and walks over to her.

"I think I am actually shopping more than you right now. Who are you texting so frantically?" Lily sends her text and shuts her phone off,

"Chuck was just worried about his proposal to the board this afternoon. I was giving him a pep talk." Lily lies, realizing that if she told Rufus that she was texting Serena about the party he would accuse her of breaking their deal. Rufus frowns at the mention of Chuck which doesn't go unnoticed by Lily.

"Look Rufus, I know you are still mad at Chuck, but he is my son and I won't turn my back on him," Lily tells him and although she is lying about Chuck texting her she is telling the truth about her loyalty to him.

"You are such a good mother," Rufus says and cups her cheek. Lily brings her lips to his, her way of saying thank you.

"I am assuming Chuck is coming to the party and I am sure that he would love to apologize to you in person," Lily says with certainty. Rufus sighs,

"I will believe it when I see it okay? Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah I am tired," Lily yawns as she feels Rufus put a hand on the small of her back, leading her out of the store and into the town car. They head to the penthouse with their bags in tow. Lily sets her purse and bags down on the couch before heading upstairs to take a nap.

"I'll join you after I call Scott," Rufus tells her when she is about halfway up the stairs.

"Okay, hurry," Lily says over her shoulder and winks at him. Rufus notices that Lily left her purse behind, but figures that she did that on purpose. He shrugs it off and pulls out his phone to call his and Lily's son.

"Hey Scott," Rufus says cheerfully.

"Hey dad, what's up?" Scott asks.

"Lily and I are having a party on the Fourth of July, are you free?"

"Yeah I think so, but I would just have to stay overnight since Boston is pretty far away."

"That's not a problem, I am sure Lily would love to have you."

"Okay, I have to get to class, but I will definitely call you later."

"Alright, son, bye," Rufus hangs up the phone with a grin on his face. He is glad that he and Lily have maintained such a good relationship with their son after getting off to a rocky start at their wedding. Rufus texts Serena quickly, asking her not to involve Lily in the party too much. Serena responds back right away assuring him that she and Blair have everything under control. Before Rufus goes upstairs, he hears Lily's cell phone ding. He opens her purse and checks it, something he and Lily do in case one of their kids needs to get a hold of them.

**Hey mom, I think you need to let Blair and I handle this, Rufus is pretty worried about you. Love you! –S.**

Rufus discovers that they have corresponded with each other all day, right around the same time Lily said she was talking to Chuck. He hates to be snooping on his wife's phone, but he just checks to see if there are any texts from Chuck earlier today. Finding none, Rufus puts the phone back in her purse and sighs in disappointment. He really isn't surprised that Lily didn't fulfill her end of the deal, just a little hurt that she had to resort to lying to him so unnecessarily.

Rufus isn't sure if he wants to bring this up to Lily. He is well aware of how much she wants to have this party because she fears that after the baby they aren't going to be able to have many parties for a while. Maybe he should just let her enjoy this and will only step in if he sees that she is overextending herself. Rufus ascends the stairs and hovers in the doorway to the master bedroom. Lily is already fast sleep, her hand resting protectively on her belly.

Rufus enters the room, kicking his shoes off and joining his wife in bed. He presses flush against her and kisses her blonde tendrils. Lily stirs slightly, but doesn't wake up. Rufus slings his arm over hers and feels his eyelids droop.

The next day, the day before the party, Serena comes by the loft while Rufus is out getting coffee with Dan.

"Hey mom," Serena hugs Lily and sits down next to her on the couch. Lily grabs tea for them which Serena graciously accepts.

"So, how is the party going?" Lily asks in anticipation, she hates being on the outside of things especially when it entails a party at her penthouse. Serena bites her lip, she wants to tell her mother but she did make a promise to Rufus about not getting Lily involved.

"Fine, how is the baby?" Serena switches topics, recognizing that her mother would jump at the chance to discuss the impending arrival. Lily scowls, as much as she loves her daughter asking about Alex that is not the reason Serena came today. With the party only a day away, they really need to finalize arrangements.

"Your sister is good, but darling, why aren't you telling me all about the party tomorrow?" Lily asks as Serena rubs Lily's stomach briefly. Serena retracts her hand and gives Lily a guilty look.

"Rufus asked me to have you know as a little as possible. I think it is cute mom; he obviously loves you very much." Lily forces a tight lipped grin on her face, but is hurt that Rufus felt the need to go behind her back to her daughter. If he was so worried, why didn't he just talk to her about it?

"I love him too, but telling me what you have so far isn't going to put anybody in danger." Serena shrugs; she guesses her mom has a point there.

"Blair and I decided that the theme is going to be Americana. Everyone is going to dress as their favorite American whether it is a movie star or a politician. All the people that we invited are coming but Aunt Carol; I don't have her phone number." Lily bats a hand in the air,

"Don't worry about Aunt Carol, she moves around a lot. I like the theme and thanks again for doing this Serena."

"It was kind of fun getting everything together so fast. The caterers will be here about one tomorrow since the party is starting at two. Blair and I will come around twelve thirty to help set up if that's okay with you."

"Of course, Scott is coming in around three tomorrow since his adoptive parents want to spend a little of the holiday with him."

"Awesome, it's going to be good to see him. I have to go though; I think Blair wants to go costume shopping before her lunch with Chuck." Serena kisses Lily's cheek and Lily shows her out. A little while later, Rufus comes breezing through the penthouse. His smile quickly dissolves when he sees Lily staring off into the distance, appearing to be upset over something.

"Lil? Is something wrong?" Rufus asks and sits down where Serena was sitting twenty minutes earlier. Lily clears her throat and ends her staring contest with the fireplace.

"Serena came by earlier and told me that you asked her to keep me out of the party planning. Why did you go behind my back like that? Why didn't you just come to me?" Rufus puts a hand on her thigh and lets out a breath.

"I don't know. I just wanted to make sure you didn't put too much strain on yourself, but you lied to me about who you were texting this afternoon. It wasn't Chuck was it?" Lily bites her lip and shakes her head.

"No it wasn't Chuck, it was Serena. I am sorry Rufus for lying to you."

"I am sorry for going behind your back Lil. We really do suck at compromising don't we?" Lily and Rufus share a laugh and kiss each other to make up for their mini-fight.

"That has always been one of our biggest downfalls in our relationship."

"Yes it has, but I think we are getting better at it. Anyway, Serena told me that everyone she invited is coming and the theme is Americana."

"What does Americana mean?"

"We get to dress up as our favorite American, living or dead."

"That sounds like fun. Who should we go as?" Lily and Rufus pause for a moment to think.

"Rufus, we should go as Grace Kelly and Cary Grant, they are so elegant." Rufus shrugs, he really doesn't know who these people are, but he really doesn't care.

"Sure, I am guessing this involves us going shopping again." Lily reaches for her gray Hermes bag and heaves herself off the couch. Rufus sighs and follows her out of the penthouse.

Rufus ends up buying a tuxedo and Lily picks a baby pink t-shirt dress from Veronique Maternity. They arrive back at the penthouse at a little after one, eat the carryout they grabbed from Angelica Kitchen and then Lily goes off to take her daily nap. While they were out shopping, an idea sparked in Rufus' head. He wants to show Lily that they can still have sex while she is pregnant and she is still just as beautiful to him. He leaves Lily a note that he is out just in case she wakes up before he gets home.

Vanya hails Rufus a taxi and his first stop is Dylan's Candy Bar. He buys Lily some assorted chocolates. After the candy store, Rufus goes to the florists to purchase some Casablanca Lilies, his wife's favorite flower and some rose petals to scatter across their bed. His last stop is A Pea in the Pod, a maternity store Lily has frequented often during her pregnancy. He feels a little uncomfortable going without her, but once Rufus explains to the saleslady his plans for Lily, she is more than willing to pick out the perfect piece.

Rufus decides on a black lace chemise and pays the cashier. As he is walking out, he hears his iPhone ring in his pocket. He checks it and is astonished to find that is a little past five, he has been out shopping for more than three hours. His wife is truly starting to rub off on him.

"Hey Lil, I was just heading home," Rufus says when he picks up the phone.

"Where did you run off to?" Lily asks teasingly.

"I had to drop off a tie that Dan wanted to use for his costume tomorrow at the loft and we talked for longer than I thought I guess."

"Well I am glad that you and Dan got the chance to catch up. Would you mind picking up dinner for us on the way home?" Rufus opens the cab door and shoves all his bags on the other side. He signals the driver to wait a second before they detach from the curb.

"Sure sweetie, what do you want?"

"How about a sandwich from that café near the loft since you are already in Brooklyn?" Lily recommends unaware that Rufus is lying to her about his location.

"Okay, I might be a while since there is a lot of traffic." _And I am nowhere near where you think I am, _The unspoken thought rings in Rufus' head.

"I'll be here when you get back."

"Alright see you in about an hour." Rufus hangs up the phone and instructs the cab driver to take him to his loft in Brooklyn. He decides to drop his purchases off in his old bedroom at the loft and then go get their food.

"Hey dad, what are you doing here?" Dan asks as Rufus emerges from his bedroom. Rufus' face heats up from embarrassment; he didn't think Dan was going to be home.

"I was dropping off a surprise that I have for Lily tomorrow after the party. Could you do me a favor and brings the bags on my bed to the party tomorrow? I wouldn't look in them if I were you," Rufus mumbles the last part, feeling even more mortified.

"Uh…sure…no problem…" Dan says awkwardly.

"Thanks Dan, I have get Lily food before she kills me," Rufus says half-jokingly.

"I wish you luck, I will see you tomorrow with your mysterious bags," Dan hugs Rufus goodbye. Rufus rushes to the sandwich shop, picks up their food and races to catch a taxi.

"Lil? Where are you?" Rufus asks as he takes his shoes off in the living room.

"Up here Rufus!" Lily shouts from their bedroom. Rufus walks up the stairs to see his wife still lying in bed with a giant smile on her face.

"Here you go," Rufus kisses Lily's temple as she scavenges through the bag to find her food. Lily hands him his turkey club before she takes a bite of her grilled chicken Panini.

"Is Daniel looking forward to the party tomorrow?" Lily asks between bites.

"Yeah, I am not sure, but I think he is going as some dead American author."

"He is your son after all," Lily teases and puts her sandwich wrapper in the bag. Rufus shrugs and hopes that he is right about Dan's costume. Rufus finishes his sandwich and wraps an arm around Lily's shoulders.

"So what do you want to do with the rest of our night?"

"I was thinking a bath, my back is hurting again," Rufus nods in understanding and gets out of bed to draw their bath. After their bath they end up watching a movie which Lily falls asleep to about halfway in.

This newfound domestication that they have is settling to Rufus. Before Lily became pregnant, they would attend some kind of gala or unnecessary party almost every night. He still can't comprehend the reason why people feel the need to throw over the top parties to have superficial conversations and tiny, expensive food. He prefers the routine they have now much better, a quiet night at home with his wife, having dinner, taking a bath together and cuddling in their bed with a movie. It seems a little boring, but soon they are going to have a baby that will occupy their time twenty-four-seven. They need time to relax and unwind before that happens.

The following day is the party. Serena and Blair arrive around twelve fifteen with an armful of decorations and their costumes in garment bags.

"Hey mom," Serena says and sets the decorations on the counter before walking over to Lily to give her a kiss on the cheek. Blair is on the phone and waves hi to Lily before going back to her conversation.

"Hello Darling, is Blair talking to the catering company?" Lily asks, casting her book and reading glasses aside.

"I think so, where is Rufus?" Serena asks.

"He is…upstairs in his office I think. I am not really sure; I must have been pretty wrapped up in the book I was reading. Do you need help setting up?"

"Yeah sure, I don't know how long Blair is going to be so whatever you can do to help is great." Lily smiles at Serena and grabs a red white and blue streamer.

"Blair and I might have gone a little too far with the red white and blue color scheme, but it is Fourth of July so why not?" Serena says as she is hanging up some stars. Lily shrugs and hooks one side of the streamer to the curtain.

"Hey S, can you come here? The catering company is wondering how many people you invited to this shindig," Blair says from the kitchen. Serena rolls her eyes and walks over to Blair.

Lily laughs at her daughter and reaches to hang up the other side when she feels a stabbing like sensation radiate from her back to the bottom of her stomach. She gasps and doubles over in pain, letting the streamer plummet to the ground. Serena sees her mom out of the corner of her eye and shoves the phone back at Blair.

"Mom!" Serena cries and rushes over to Lily who is rubbing the lower curvature of her abdomen anxiously. Serena guides her over to the couch and sits her down.

"RUFUS!" Serena yells from her place next to her mother. Rufus hears her stepdaughter yell for him in terror and races out of his office, bolting down the stairs two at a time. He sees Serena with a frightened look on her face and Lily biting her lip, her face as white as a sheet.

"I am going to go help Blair," Serena excuses herself and walks over to Blair who has been silently watching Lily with concern for the past few minutes.

"Honey what happened?" Rufus asks Lily quietly. Lily is starting to return back to her normal color and releases the hold on her lower lip.

"I don't know…I guess the baby didn't like me reaching like that to put up the decorations." Lily is praying that it was just a really hard kick and not an actual contraction; she doesn't want to cancel the party on such short notice. Rufus exhales and reaches around to rub his wife's arm comfortingly.

"Why don't you stay here and tell me where you want everything?" Rufus suggests and walks over to the streamer. Lily smiles at her husband and starts directing him all around the first floor of the penthouse. Serena and Blair watch husband and wife interact with smiles on their faces.

"I want that to be Chuck and me one day," Blair says dreamily.

"I want to find a man that loves as much as Rufus loves Lily. I mean, look at them," Serena points at her mother who is laughing at something Rufus just said.

"Okay enough of this mushy stuff S, we have to go get ready," Blair orders and grabs their garment bag.

"I'll meet you in my room, I want to talk to Rufus first," Serena whispers to Blair. Blair brushes past everyone and walks upstairs to Serena's old room. Serena gives Rufus a look, signaling that she wants to talk to him alone. Rufus winks at her and quickly smiles.

"Lil, Serena and I can handle this, go slip into that dress," Rufus says with a twinkle in his eye. Lily looks at her husband and daughter suspiciously before walking up the stairs.

"Rufus, I think my mom is downplaying this, I have never seen her in that much pain before," Serena says once she knows Lily is out of earshot. Rufus runs his hands through his hair and scowls.

"I think she is too, but she will be absolutely devastated if we cancel this party. The only thing we can do is watch her closely today and hope that it doesn't happen again."

"Okay, I should go get changed."

"Yeah me too," Rufus follows Serena upstairs, but heads into the master bedroom where Lily is standing in their closet with her gown unzipped.

"Do you mind?" Lily moves her hair and points to the zipper. Rufus wordlessly walks over to her, zips her gown up and kisses the nape of her neck. Lily sweeps her hair back and turns to face her husband, taking his hand into her own.

"I know you are still worried about me, but the pain went away." Rufus tucks a blonde ringlet behind her ear and gives her a lopsided grin.

"Okay, just please tell me if it comes back."

"I will, I promise," Lily pulls his face towards hers to brush a light kiss to his lips.

"I have to get dressed," Rufus mumbles against her lips and breaks contact, planting a lingering kiss to her forehead before grabbing his tux.

"I am going to see how the girls are doing," Lily walks back downstairs just as the elevator doors ding open. Dan walks off holding a giant Dylan's Candy Bar bag which Rufus gave him last night to disguise the lingerie and the flowers which were refrigerated overnight.

"Hey Lily, where is my dad?" Dan asks.

"He is getting dressed and so are Serena and Blair. Why do you have all that candy Dan?" Lily asks with interest.

"It's not candy, it is part of my costume, I was going to ask my dad to give me a different tie, this one just isn't working out," Dan lies, tugging at the tie he is wearing.

"I always hated that tie too, but don't tell Rufus that. I dislike that tie almost as much as I dislike his green puffy jacket that I hope is still at the loft. He should be dressed if you want to go up there," Lily says and walks over to admire the caterers work, there are desert towers, and general cocktail food spread across the wall by the windows. Lily sneaks in a few cocktail shrimp while everyone else is upstairs getting dressed.

Dan bolts upstairs, priding himself on being able to lie so well to Lily. He didn't want to ruin the sweet surprise that his dad planned for her. Dan knocks on the master bedroom door and Rufus opens it while he readjusts his bowtie.

"Thanks Dan," Rufus grabs the bag and shoves it under the bed.

"Aren't you going to set everything up?" Dan asks with curiosity and takes the hat that he had at the top of the bag to throw Lily off.

"No, Lily usually comes upstairs to get away from the party for a few minutes and I don't want her to see it. Does she know anything?"

"Not a thing, she thinks I have my costume in here and do you have another tie I can borrow? Lily believes that I came up here to ask you about getting a different tie." Rufus leads him to his tiny section of his and Lily's closet to let Dan pick.

"I am impressed Dad, you have certainly upgraded your wardrobe since you married Lily," Dan states as he admires his dad's suits and ties.

"That wasn't by choice son, Lily bought these clothes for me and I wasn't about to make her take them back to the store." Dan laughs and selects a navy blue one with white polka dots on it.

"Who are you supposed to be Dan?" Rufus asks, doing a once over of Dan's plain suit.

"F. Scott Fitzgerald, I even have a copy of _The Great Gatsby _as a prop," Dan points to the book he set down on the closet floor as he is tying his tie.

An hour later, people start filtering in, dressed in their very best costumes. Conversation sparks up throughout penthouse, filling every crevice of the room.

"Look there's Chuck," Lily whispers to Rufus while they are catching up with Nate. Chuck immediately finds Blair who is dressed as Jackie Onassis Kennedy and kisses her. Lily gives a wave and a smile to her adopted son who heads over to them.

"Hi Lily," Chuck says and kisses her cheek, "Rufus, can I talk to you for a second?" Lily beams at her son and releases her arm that is wrapped around her husband's waist. Rufus silently follows Chuck to an empty corner of the living room, far away from the rest of the guests.

"What do you want Chuck?" Rufus asks with exasperation.

"I just wanted to apologize for what I did to Jenny that night a few years back. I don't know what I was thinking," Chuck says with sincerity and offers Rufus his hand to shake. Rufus considers his apology and decides that it is genuine so he shakes Chuck's hand.

"Thank you Chuck, I am glad that you did that. However if you ever do something like that to my daughter again, I won't be as forgiving," Rufus warns him.

"Understood," Rufus goes back to Lily who is now talking to Eleanor while Chuck joins Serena and Blair's conversation. Rufus slips his arm around Lily's hips, pressing her against him.

"Rufus, I was just telling Lily that I was thinking of doing a baby line." Eleanor says and downs her glass of champagne. Rufus smiles politely at her,

"That's a good idea Eleanor, I am sure we will be happy to dress our daughter in your designs." A clinking noise puts a halt to all of the chatter, making all of the guests turn towards the source of the noise. Serena is standing in the middle of the room, holding up a glass of champagne.

"If everyone would excuse me I would like to say a few words. I am not one for speeches, but I thought I would make an exception for today. First of all, thank you everyone for coming to the party even though Blair and I threw it together in about twenty four hours. This party was actually thrown for my mom who wanted to have one last party before the baby comes. Congratulations mom and Rufus, I am sure that I can speak for everyone when I say that we are excited for the new baby. Cheers," Serena holds up her glass and the guests follow suit. Rufus puts his free hand over Lily's stomach proudly while Lily rests her head on his shoulder. Lily mouths "thank you" over to Serena who smiles back at her.

While everyone is returning to their conversations, Rufus takes the opportunity to tease his wife a little bit.

"I have a surprise for you," Rufus whispers in her ear.

"Oh?" Lily questions with a quirked eyebrow.

"Yes, later, when it's just the two of us," Rufus mumbles back.

"Well I look forward to it, Serena asked me to get the camera from her room so I will be right back." Lily excuses herself and closes the door to her daughter's room. Lily looks around for the camera and finds it on the floor. She bends down to retrieve the camera, wincing when she feels the same pain she felt before return with greater force.

"Ouch," Lily mutters and rubs the right side of her abdomen with her palm. She waits for a few minutes for the pain to pass, the chance of this just being Alex kicking her growing slimmer and slimmer. She can't tell Rufus though, especially when he has something planned for them tonight. If this continues, she will tell him tomorrow and they can go to her OB/GYN to get her checked out. Not today though, not with all these people here.

After the pain subsides, Lily grabs the camera and rejoins the party. Rufus catches her eye and points to Scott who is standing next to him.

"Scott! How are you?" Lily says and hugs her son tightly.

"Fine mom, I think the better question is; how are you? When is my sister getting here?" Scott steps back to take in the size of Lily's belly since he hasn't seen her in about four months.

"Hopefully any day now, but enough about me, how is Boston?" Lily and Rufus spend the next hour catching up with their son given that they only get to see him on holidays.

The party winds down significantly within the next hour or so. Chuck invites all of the kids, even Scott, Nate and Blair back to the Empire for a tiny after party. Lily collapses on the couch with her feet up while Rufus is nowhere to be seen. She is guessing that he is setting up whatever he has planned for them now that the kids are gone. He comes down the stairs a few minutes later and snakes his arms loosely around Lily's shoulders from behind.

"Can you put that book down and come upstairs with me?" Rufus asks. Lily takes her glasses off and sets the book down on the coffee table. Rufus snags her hand and leads to her to their bedroom.

"Wow!" Lily says as she sees candles spread out across their bedroom, rose petals dispersed on their bed, a bouquet of her favorite flowers sitting in a vase on her bedside table and a gift bag resting on her side of the bed.

"I thought since you were feeling a little down about how you look during your pregnancy you needed to be reminded how much I think you still look hot." Rufus says and gently nudges her towards their bed. Lily is so touched that he did all of this for her, she can't even say thank you.

"You didn't need to get me anything," Lily says finally and picks up the bag so she can sit down.

"It's more of a present to myself so it's okay," Rufus jokingly reassures her. Lily laughs and opens the bag, taking out the lingerie and bites her lip.

"Thank you, I am going to go put it on," Lily kisses him and sneaks into the bathroom. She comes out a few minutes later and revels in the fact that she can still make Rufus' eyes darken with desire for her.

"Come here," Rufus says and pats the empty space on the bed next to him. Lily climbs on the bed and meshes her lips with her husband's. Rufus starts slipping off her chemise, stopping to place sloppy kisses on her exposed shoulder. Lily moans and reaches to take off his blazer and unbutton his shirt, kissing his bare chest. Rufus slides the rest of her chemise off and fondles her breasts. Lily fumbles with his belt, taking his pants and boxers off in one swoop. Rufus inserts his fingers in her, making Lily hum with pleasure.

"Rufus…I…" Lily breaks off; her mouth forming into an o formation as Rufus enters her. Rufus begins with light figure eight motions, going slow just to tease her. Lily is having none of this and scratches at his back, signaling that she wants him to pick up the pace. Rufus ups the ante by thrusting harder into her just as a searing pain clamps down on Lily's abdomen.

"Stop! Stop! Pull out!" Lily exclaims and winces. Rufus blushes fiercely and complies, rushing to the bathroom to finish. Lily grips the sheets into a ball as she rides out what she will finally admit is a contraction. Rufus comes out of the bathroom to find Lily lying in bed with a hand over her mouth, obviously feeling embarrassed by what just happened.

"Lily, what's going on?" Rufus asks as he reaches for his boxers, putting them back on.

"I think I am in labor," Lily says.

**A/N 2: I hope you guys liked the longest chapter I have ever written! Next time Alex is finally born, not without drama of course. Please leave a review on your way out and thanks for reading!**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: First and foremost, thank you for all the reviews, I always love getting them. This chapter might be a little medically inaccurate because I don't work in that field. I just get whatever I need off of Google or WebMD and use it to suit my story. So, without further ado, please enjoy my next chapter.**

**Chapter Twenty**

_"Stop! Stop! Pull out!" Lily exclaims and winces. Rufus blushes fiercely and complies, rushing to the bathroom to finish. Lily grips the sheets into a ball as she rides out what she will finally admit is a contraction. Rufus comes out of the bathroom to find Lily lying in bed with a hand over her mouth, obviously feeling embarrassed by what just happened. _

_ "Lily, what's going on?" Rufus asks as he reaches for his boxers, putting them back on. _

_ "I think I am in labor," Lily says._

She says it so quietly, so calmly as if she is simply telling Rufus about the weather.

"What do you mean you think you are in labor?" Rufus asks and sits down next to her on the bed, pulling her closer to him.

"Well, if I timed it right, my contractions are about fifteen minutes apart."

"Wait, I thought besides the one contraction this morning and the one now that was it," Rufus says in a questioning tone. Lily bites her cheek and shrugs,

"I didn't want to ruin whatever you had planned for me. Honestly Rufus, I thought it was just Braxton Hicks contractions and would go away on its own." Rufus isn't all that shocked by Lily hiding the fact that she had actual contractions from him. She knew how worried he was about her and didn't want the party or the surprise being cancelled.

"Do you want to go to the hospital now?" Rufus asks, trying to stay calm for Lily's sake. Lily immediately shakes her head,

"No, I don't want to go until we have to; you know how much I hate hospitals." Rufus nods in understanding and brings his arm around her shoulder.

"So, what do you want to do while we wait?" Rufus' eyes flicker around the room, feeling kind of sad that the romantic evening he had planned for them is now shot to hell. Lily notices the somewhat sad expression on Rufus' face and extends her hand to caress his cheek.

"Hey, I am sorry that I ruined our quiet night together, but I really appreciate what you did for me." Rufus smiles at her and uses his free hand to rub Lily's stomach.

"Don't worry about it Lil, the Humphrey's are never good with timing." Lily's laugh is cut short by a contraction ripping through her back and lower abdomen. She gasps in pain, startling Rufus who grabs one of her hands. As the contraction eases up on Lily, she slowly loosens her grip on her husband's hand.

"I see what you mean," Lily jokes lightly and tries to catch her breath. She can feel Rufus smile against her head while he runs his thumb over her knuckles.

"Since we can't do what we want to do, what else do you want to do?" Rufus asks Lily again.

"I was thinking a bath, then I pack the overnight bag I kept forgetting to pack and we can go to Lennox Hill." Rufus climbs out of bed and walks over to Lily to help her into the bathroom. Slowly, he helps her ease into the tub and reaches over to start the water. Rufus sits down next to her outside of the tub while the water is filling up.

"Do you want me to get in with you?" Rufus asks her as Lily grabs the bubble soap to pour into the rising water.

"I would love you for you to join me, but can you call the doctor first?" Rufus steals a quick kiss from her and walks out of the bathroom, heading toward the phone perched on her side of the bed. He quickly dials Sutherland's office number, but nobody answers.

_Hello you have reached the office of Dr. Lisa Sutherland. Her office is currently closed. If this is an emergency, please hang up and dial 911._

"Shit," Rufus mutters to himself and puts the phone back on the hook. He forgot about today being a holiday, Lily is going to freak out. He walks back into the bathroom to see his wife in the middle of what he assumes is a contraction. Her arm is curled around the lip of the tub and her face is pressed tight together in pain. Rufus breezes across the bathroom to lace his fingers with hers.

Lily takes a deep breath and sinks further into the tub. Rufus releases their hands to stroke her arm hanging over the edge of the bath.

"What did the doctor say?" Lily asks, still recuperating from her last contraction. Rufus slides his eyes away from Lily's wondering gaze.

"I didn't get a chance to talk to her since her office is apparently closed on the fourth of July." Rufus whispers and meets Lily's widened chocolate orbs. Her breathing quickens and she starts rubbing her stomach nervously.

"Rufus what are we going to do? Who is going to deliver our baby?" Lily questions frantically. Rufus swallows her incessant questions with his lips. The last thing they need is her blood pressure rising and the baby being put at risk.

"Lil, you need to relax. We are just going to the hospital and someone is going to deliver Alex. It will be okay, I promise." Lily drops her hands away from her stomach and releases the drain, sending the water swirling down. She was hoping the bath would calm her, but it just made her more anxious. Rufus stands up to grab a lavender towel from the linen closet. She stands up and graciously steps into Rufus' waiting arms.

"Thank you," Lily whispers and pecks her husband on the cheek before disappearing into their closet to get dressed. Rufus remains rooted to the spot in the bathroom while he hears Lily rummage through her wardrobe. He has no idea how he is going to help her through the birth of their child. He doesn't know if he can see her in this much pain.

"Rufus?" Lily calls from the closet, breaking his train of thought. He shoves his hands in his pocket and exits the bathroom, making his way over to her. Lily is dressed in a red silk top with black capris. Rufus shakes his head, of course his wife would be dressed in designer clothing even though she is about to give birth.

"What's up Lil?" Rufus asks.

"Can you grab that suitcase for me?" Lily points to a Louis Vuitton suitcase on a high shelf. Rufus glares at her and stands on his tip toes to bring down the luggage. Lily kisses him in appreciation before bringing the suitcase over to her bed. She starts throwing some random clothes in the suitcase and then leaves the room. Rufus follows her into the nursery where she staring intently at their daughter's closet.

"Lil, what are you doing?" Lily doesn't hear him and takes some onesies off of their hangers.

"Which one do you think we should take pictures of Alex in?" Lily asks Rufus, holding up a Petit Tresor magenta onesie in one hand and a Burberry plaid one in the other. Rufus rolls his eyes and points to the pink one. Lily smiles at him and walks back toward the master bedroom. She stops halfway to lean against the wall, apparently having another contraction. Rufus comes up behind her and wraps his arms around her waist.

Lily collapses into his arms and nods against his chest, reassuring him that she is fine. She detaches from their embrace by heading towards her suitcase to drop Alex's clothes into the suitcase. Rufus watches this methodical process until she zips the suitcase shut.

"I am going to do my makeup and then we can leave," Lily announces and steps into the bathroom. Rufus sits down on the bed, his eyebrows shooting together.

"Wait, you are about to give birth and you are putting on makeup. Do you realize how crazy that sounds?" Rufus asks in utter confusion. He can hear Lily's musical laughter echo vibrate off the walls as she applies foundation to her skin.

"I don't want to look ugly in the pictures. I plan on hanging some of them up around the penthouse," Lily says in an obvious tone. Rufus shrugs and bats his hand, if that's what she wants to do, it's fine with him. When she is done, Lily comes out with a toiletry bag to add to luggage.

"So, are we ready to go?" Rufus asks. Lily bites her lip and shakes her head.

"I don't want to go…" Lily admits in a tiny voice. Rufus takes both of her hands and brings her over so that she is standing between his legs.

"Honey, we are not going to deliver our daughter in our bedroom. You and I both know that the hospital is the safest place," Rufus says to her. He is guessing that Lily is more scared about giving birth than anything else. Lily gives him a closed-lipped grin and nods. Rufus releases their hands and takes their iPhones off of the charger along with his wife's tan Birkin bag. Lily takes the items and calls the car service while she is walking down the stairs. Rufus trails behind her with her suitcase and hits the elevator button.

Lily hangs up the phone as they step into the elevator. Rufus hands her the luggage and rubs soothing circles on her back. Lily tilts her head so it is resting on his chest during the ride down. When the doors open, they are greeted by Vanya who takes the suitcase from Lily.

"Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey is it time?" Vanya asks enthusiastically. Lily nods as Rufus slinks his arm around her shoulders just in case she has another contraction.

"Damn it," Rufus whispers and pats his pockets. Lily's eyes flicker up to his, her eyebrows furrowed.

"What is it?" Lily asks with concern.

"I forgot the camera, I will be right back," Rufus says and dashes towards the elevator, jabbing at the up button repeatedly. Lily smiles at Vanya who is standing next to her.

While Rufus is gone, the pain returns and she grabs onto Vanya's arm instinctively. Vanya flinches and tries his best to comfort Lily. When her contraction is over, Lily blushes and unclenches her grip on the doorman's arm.

"Sorry Vanya," Lily mutters and tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"No worry Mrs. Humphrey, Dorota did the same to me when she was in labor," Vanya says nervously and takes a step away from Lily. Rufus comes back within a couple minutes and notices the pinkish hue on his wife and doorman's cheeks.

"Are you ready to go?" Lily asks as soon as he steps off of the elevator.

"Yeah, have a good night Vanya," Rufus says and puts his hand on the small of Lily's back, guiding her to the car. Lily waves goodbye to Vanya over her shoulder, still too embarrassed to look him in the eye. The driver puts the suitcase in the trunk as Rufus and Lily slide into the seats. Rufus slams the door shut while the driver gets into the front seat. The car leaves the penthouse, on the way to Lennox Hill.

Rufus presses Lily against him in the back of the car and kisses her temple.

"Did something happen while I was gone?" Rufus asks her teasingly. Lily turns her head so that she is looking out the window, suddenly becoming entranced by the fleeting skyscrapers.

"I…had a contraction and grabbed onto Vanya. I think I hurt him." Rufus laughs and squeezes her right shoulder.

"Lil, are you scared?" Rufus asks her, cupping her chin to get her to look at him.

"I am terrified, but I am excited. What about you?"

"Same, I am going to apologize in advance if I faint." Lily tilts her head so that his hand is splashed across the left side of her face.

"I am more than likely going to break a few of your fingers so we are going to be even." Rufus interlocks her lips with his as the car pulls to a stop in front of the hospital. Rufus opens the door for them while the driver grabs the suitcase out of the trunk.

"Here is your luggage, good luck," Isaac, their driver, tells them and gives Rufus the luggage.

"Thank you," Rufus hands the driver a tip and accepts the suitcase. Lily snatches her husband's hand and brings him into the main lobby.

"Hi, we are looking for labor and delivery," Lily says to the receptionist.

"Okay, it's on the fourth floor, just go around the corner and the elevators are right there," The brunette receptionist informs them with a smile. Rufus leads the way this time and takes them to the elevators. The last time he was here was when Lily hit her head almost two months ago. He was never more scared than in his whole life, not knowing what was happening with his wife or baby.

A shiver rolls down Rufus' spine which Lily notices. She raises her eyebrows, waiting for an explanation, but Rufus gives her a look, silently telling her that they will talk about it later.

The elevator doors open to a bustling waiting room filled with expectant mothers, anxious fathers and impatient children. Lily releases her hand from Rufus' to sling her arm around his waist, bringing him as close as possible to her. They check in and are given a couple of forms to fill out. Rufus brings Lily over to two empty seats so Lily can do the paperwork.

When she is done, Lily walks over to the nurses' station to hand back the completed forms. Lily is told that the wait will only be a few minutes and to sit back down. She sits back down next to Rufus and squeezes his hand, slipping into another contraction. A little boy about two seats over from them watches Lily in horror, causing Rufus to chuckle a little.

A nurse brings a wheelchair over and Rufus eases Lily into the chair. As the nurse is wheeling his wife away, Rufus turns toward the kid who still seems a little scared.

"Don't worry son, just stick to your Legos," Rufus advises and races to catch up with Lily.

The nurse takes Lily into a private birthing suite that has a standard hospital bed, a pull out couch, a flat screen TV, an attached bathroom and several chairs near the bed.

"Wow," Rufus says, taking in a panoramic view of the place. The nurse locks Lily's wheelchair and nudges Rufus.

"I thought we could use a little luxury," Lily says and holds out her hands for Rufus to take. He quickly assists her into bed while the nurse runs off to get Lily a gown and other supplies.

"I am going to call the kids while they are examining you," Rufus tells her.

"Okay, just don't forget to call my mother," Lily says, watching Rufus predictably roll his eyes.

"Can't we just send her a birth announcement?" Rufus asks, already knowing the answer to his question. Lily laughs and playfully swats at him.

"As much as my mother drives us all insane, I actually want her here." A man of about forty knocks on the door, putting an end to an end to their conversation. The same nurse that escorted Lily and Rufus to the room enters as well, holding a gown and blood collection kit.

"Hi, I am Dr. Clare, I think we have met before, Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey," The blonde doctor says and offers his hand for the couple to shake.

"Yes, I think we have a long time ago," Lily says and accepts Dr. Clare's proffered hand. He was the resident that diagnosed Lily with a cervical tear when she was about ten weeks pregnant. Lily doesn't remember much about him except that he was kind and took the time to answer all of their questions.

"Lil, I am going to go call the kids…and your mother," Rufus says, finishing off his sentence with a slight scowl. Lily fights the urge to glare at her husband and instead leans over to give him a quick peck on the lips.

"Hurry back," Lily whispers. The nurse takes blood and urine while Dr. Clare examines her cervix and abdomen to check for dilation and position of the baby.

Rufus steps out into the hallway, closing the sliding glass door to the suite behind him. He mentally debates which kid will actually pick up the phone and decides on Dan.

"Dan? Is that you? I can barely hear you," Rufus says, trying to decipher his son's voice over the commotion.

"Yeah, we are at the Empire still, what's up?" Dan's voice becomes a lot clearer, making Rufus think his son walked into a different room.

"We are at the hospital, Lily is in labor." Rufus hears silence on the other end for a second and then something drop.

"Sorry, Dad that's awesome! Okay, I will get everyone and then come to Lennox Hill right?" Dan is becoming harder and harder to hear, other voices becoming more apparent.

"It's going to be a while until the baby is born, you might want to…" Rufus is cut off by Dan hanging up on him.

Back at the Chuck's Empire suite, Dan sprints back into the party. Everyone stops to look at Dan who is waving his glass of scotch in one hand and his phone in the other.

"What is wrong with you? Spit it out Humphrey," Blair commands from her position on Chuck's lap.

"My dad just called and Lily's in labor," Dan announces and downs the rest of the alcohol.

"Oh my god, let's go!" Serena squeals and stumbles over to pick up her Michael Kors clutch. Jenny, Eric, Scott, Dan, Blair, Nate, Chuck and Scott follow Serena out of the hotel room.

Rufus' fingers hover over the touch dial pad. He promised Lily that he would call CeCe, but a part of him doesn't want her to come. CeCe has only just started accepting Rufus as Lily's husband even though they got married almost a year ago. Their past has been rough to say the least, with CeCe always telling Lily that she can do better than Rufus. However, his mother in law's last visit was surprisingly pleasant and the baby shower she planned was nice.

Rufus sighs, whether he likes it or not, CeCe is Lily's mother and his daughter's grandmother. Reluctantly, he dials CeCe, a part of him hoping that she won't pick up.

"Hello? Rufus?" CeCe asks haphazardly when she picks up the phone.

"Hi CeCe, Lily wanted me to tell you that she is labor, but the baby probably won't be here until morning." Rufus hears his mother and law swear and yell at someone to call her private jet.

"Good, I will be there in a few hours," CeCe doesn't wait for a response from Rufus and hangs up the phone. _That went well, _Rufus thinks to himself and heads back to his wife's room, but hovers in the doorway. Lily is gripping the bed rails and chewing on her lower lip, trying to let the contraction pass while another nurse is attempting to calm her. She has changed into a gown and has a fetal monitor encompassing her exposed abdomen.

A nurse brushing past Rufus with some ice chips for Lily stops and pivots on her feet to face him.

"Not that it's any of my business Mr. Humphrey, but is this your first child together?" Rufus slides his eyes away from his wife to look at the petite brunette nurse in front of him.

"Technically yes, why?" Rufus asks, not bothering to explain the whole Scott situation to a complete stranger.

"You have that terrified father-to-be look on your face, a trademark around here." The nurse informs him with a quirked eyebrow.

"It's hard seeing her in this much pain without being able to do anything about it," Rufus admits softly.

"Well regardless, your wife is going to need you. If it's any consolation, I would try to convince her to get an epidural." The nurse walks away from him to set the ice chips on the bedside table. Rufus grabs a chair and scoots it close to Lily's bed, scooping up her hand which now has an IV in it.

"Do you need anything?" Rufus asks, reaching up tuck a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. Lily shakes her head and gives him a weak smile.

"I would love a glass of wine if you got it."

"If I had it I would be drinking it Lil. What did the doctor say while I was gone?"

"That I was about 4 or 5 centimeters dilated and it's going to be a long night. Did you get a hold of the kids and my mother?"

"Yes and they both hung up on me with promises to come here soon. I was talking to the nurse and she was mentioning something about an epidural. Do you want one?" Rufus asks, praying that the answer will be yes. He doesn't know how many more contractions Lily and him can take.

"No, I don't want one. I had Eric and Serena just fine without it and I want to do the same for Alex." Rufus starts to protest, but it's no use. Lily has the right to choose whether or not she wants the drug because she is the one who is giving birth.

"Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey, your kids and some for their friends are in the waiting room demanding to see you," An older nurse with salt and pepper hair says.

"Thank you nurse, I will take care of it," Rufus assures the nurse who quickly leaves. Lily shakes her head and rubs her eyes with exhaustion.

"I will go talk to them Lil," Rufus tells her and stands up.

"Rufus please don't let them in here. I don't want them to see me like this," Lily asks, her brown eyes pleading.

"Of course, I'll be back," Rufus kisses her goodbye and angrily heads into the lobby. Sure enough, all of his and Lily's kids along with Blair and Nate are stumbling around the room, obviously intoxicated.

"Dad!" Jenny shouts and makes her way over to her father giving him a bear hug. Stunned, Rufus pats her on the back and steps away.

"Where's my mom?" Serena asks from her chair next to Nate.

"She is here, but you guys aren't allowed to see her," Rufus says, his voice firm. All of the kids start protesting, but Rufus isn't going to bend.

"Come on Rufus, don't be lame!" Serena shouts and giggles at how loud she is.

"Look you guys are all drunk and are disrupting everyone around you. Now, I told Lily that I wouldn't let you guys in, especially now that everyone can barely stand up. Go home, sleep it off and I will call when the baby is born." Rufus shocks the kids by how serious his voice is they are used to the softer side of him.

"Party pooper, come on guys," Serena grabs Nate's hand and walks toward the doors. Everyone else either hugs or waves goodbye to Rufus who is starting to succumb to exhaustion. He spots an espresso machine and buys himself a crappy cup of coffee. Rufus collapses in a chair and sips on his coffee, needing a caffeine boost to get through the night.

When he is about halfway through his cup, a nurse comes running into the waiting room.

"Is there a Mr. Humphrey out here?" The same nurse who gave Rufus advice before asks the remaining people left in the waiting room. Rufus waves the nurse over, not liking how apprehensive she sounds.

"You need to come with me now," The nurse orders. Rufus bolts out of seat and follows the nurse swiftly back to Lily's room. Lily's eyes are cloudy with tears and Dr. Clare has the ultrasound machine perched on one of side of her bed.

"Sweetheart what's wrong?" Rufus asks, rushing his way over to his wife who is slowly starting to unravel. Lily shakes her head and reaches for his hand, clasping onto it tightly.

"I don't know," Lily whispers, her voice sounding hollow. Dr. Clare waves the machine around Lily's stomach, searching for a clear view of Alex. When he finds one, everyone is quiet for a second, waiting for the doctor's assessment.

"Just what I thought, the umbilical cord is compressed. This is common, it happens in about 1 in 10 deliveries. It is a concern, but it is a very mild one. See, what happens is the umbilical cord becomes stretched or compressed during labor. There was a sudden drop in the baby's heartbeat which tipped us off. We will keep a close eye on you and the baby, but everything should proceed as normal. Don't worry Mrs. Humphrey," Dr. Clare puts a reassuring hand on Lily's shoulder and tells the OB nurse assigned to Lily to do regular checks on the fetal monitor.

"We are going to give you some privacy. I am Nurse Taylor if you need anything." The medical personnel clear out of the room leaving Rufus and Lily alone.

Lily has another contraction and bursts into tears, causing Rufus to sit next to her in bed, enfolding his wife in his arms.

"I am sorry," Lily sobs against his chest. Rufus kisses her forehead and puts his head on top of hers.

"Lil, this isn't your fault, you have nothing to be sorry for," Rufus tells her, though he knows it will make little difference.

"I do, I thought I could handle this but…" Rufus slides his arms that were wrapped around her back to her shoulders, looking her directly in the eye.

"Lily, you are the strongest and most stubborn person I know. We are going to be fine, trust me," Rufus gives her a kiss on the lips, making a loud smacking sound against her lips in an effort to cheer her up. Lily laughs a little and wipes her eyes.

"How are the kids?"

"Drunk, but I told them to go home and come back in the morning sober."

"I am surprised that my daughter didn't pay someone off to sneak her in here."

"I am too, that sounds like something you would do." Lily blushes and averts Rufus' gaze. Rufus feels his hand slowly start to tighten, signaling a contraction.

"Ow, damn, this is not fun," Rufus is surprised to hear Lily swear, something she doesn't usually do unless she is incredibly frustrated or in extreme discomfort. Rufus could suggest getting an epidural again, but won't because she will shoot him down immediately. He does admire her for wanting to have their daughter without the help of any drugs despite of how much it hurts.

As the hours drag on, Lily's labor progresses slowly with the baby being checked constantly for any abrupt changes. Rufus does what he can to hold her hand, rub her back and wipe her forehead with a wet washcloth. CeCe arrives to the hospital at around six in the morning. She barges her way in to see Rufus telling Lily a story while gliding his thumb over her knuckles.

"Darling, you don't look bad for a woman who is labor," CeCe declares and walks over to the edge of Lily's bed. Lily exaggeratedly rolls her eyes and furrows her eyebrows, not being able to tell if her mother is complementing her or not.

"Thanks mother, who did you have to bribe to be able to come in here?"

"I didn't have to pay off anyone dear. All I had to do was say that I am your mother and they let me in." Rufus isn't buying CeCe's story, but is too distracted to care.

"I am going to get some food Lil. Do you want anything?" Rufus asks.

"No, but please don't be too long," Lily uses her hand to bring Rufus' lips to hers for a lingering kiss. Rufus gives CeCe a hug and disappears down the hall.

"Well it looks like you and Rufus are doing better than ever," CeCe observes, being careful to keep the judgment out of her voice. Lily isn't so fooled though and she dramatically sighs.

"Mother I do not have the strength nor the motivation for you to dissect my relationship with my husband right now especially when I am about to have his child." CeCe nods in understanding and sits down in the chair Rufus' was occupying before.

"I can tell that you two are at a better place than the last time I visited. Even though I don't see what attracts you to him, he loves you very much." Lily is pleasantly astonished by her mother's confession; is CeCe actually starting to approve of Rufus?

"He is an amazing man," Lily mumbles and smiles serenely. Lily fills CeCe in on the other kids while Rufus goes down to the cafeteria for a quick bite to eat. When he comes back, Rufus sees his mother in law helping his wife through yet another contraction. He lets them have their moment before walking back in with a half filled bottled water. Rufus sets it on a nearby table before sitting on the edge of the bed, putting his hand over Lily's legs which are covered by the blanket.

"It was nice seeing you guys, but I am going to back to the penthouse to catch a few hours of sleep. Make sure to call me darling when my granddaughter is born." CeCe kisses both Rufus and Lily's cheeks before exiting the suite.

"My mother and I had a civil conversation about my love life for once. I think she is finally coming around," Lily states, still processing her time alone with CeCe.

"It only took her over twenty years," Rufus jokes.

About twenty minutes later, Dr. Clare comes in for a routine examination and declares it is time to push.

"Okay on the next contraction, I want you to push." The doctor tells Lily who bites her lip. She always hated this part with Serena and Eric, it hurt the most.

"I don't want to, Rufus, you do it," Lily says, only half-joking. Rufus gives her a strange look and squeezes her hand.

"Lil, you have to," Rufus says, wondering where this conversation is going. A tear cascades down Lily's cheek and she wipes it away before anyone notices.

"I am so tired, I don't think I can," Rufus is a little scared, for his wife to just throw in the towel is so uncharacteristic of her. Rufus looks at the doctor, silently asking him for advice.

"Mr. Humphrey, it might help your wife if you get behind her in bed and grab both of her hands," Dr. Clare recommends, noticing by the heightened worry features on Lily's face that she is genuinely frightened. However, if Lily refuses to push, it could have severe consequences on the baby. Rufus takes his shoes off and slides in behind Lily and intertwines both of their hands, dropping a kiss on the crown of her head.

It doesn't take long for Lily to have another contraction with Rufus and the doctor encouraging her to push the whole way. Lily closes her eyes and pushes with all of the strength she has left in her.

"Okay stop, relax, you did good," Dr. Clare tells her. Exhausted, Lily leans heavily against her husband for support. Rufus smiles at her and brushes the matted hair away from her face. Lily feels the pain rising again and clenches Rufus' hands as hard as she can while she pushes.

"How many more?" Lily asks breathlessly after the fifth round of pushing.

"Just a few, you are doing great," The doctor informs her. Lily groans and waits for the next contraction to lance through her body.

Rufus has never seen his wife so disheveled and worn out. He doesn't think he experienced Lily breaking a sweat or relying on him to hold her up. He kind of likes this side to Lily; it shows him that she completely trusts him enough to be comfortable around him no matter what state she is in.

"I can see her head, push Lil," Rufus whispers in her ear. Lily moans and forces every aching muscle in her body to push harder. The cries of their daughter reverberate around the room. Lily and Rufus beam as they get a view of Alex. Lily senses salty tears tumbling down her cheeks, but for once, she doesn't seem to care. Her daughter, _their _daughter is finally here.

"Go see her Rufus," Lily says to him and kisses him passionately. Rufus sashays his way out from behind Lily and takes the camera off of the bedside table.

"Would you like to cut the umbilical cord?" Dr. Clare asks Rufus who eagerly nods. Nurse Taylor takes the camera from him and snaps Rufus cutting the cord. The nurse hands the camera back to Rufus so she can help the doctor run some tests on Alex.

Rufus takes a picture of Lily smiling serenely over to where their daughter is being taken care of. He then takes a few shots of Alex being weighed and assessed, careful not to get in anyone's way.

"She is healthy, her color is good and her cry assures us that she is getting enough oxygen. She weighs seven pounds eight ounces and is about nineteen inches long." Nurse Taylor informs him while she is swaddling Alex in some blankets. She hands Alex over to Rufus who takes a second to admire his daughter.

Since she can't reach the camera, Lily asks a nurse to quietly take Rufus' picture, wanting to add it to Alex's baby book. The nurse complies and shows Lily the picture. Rufus brushes his finger lightly against Alex's cheek, triggering a reflex response.

Rufus walks Alex over to Lily, depositing their daughter in her arms before sitting next to her on the edge of the bed. Lily takes in the chubbiness of Alex's cheek, her blonde hair matching Lily's, the green eyes mirroring Rufus'.

"Rufus, she has your eyes," Lily says dreamily and caresses her daughter's cheek. Rufus leans his nose against the side of her face, planting a kiss on her cheekbone.

"Yes and unfortunately our kid has the Humphrey chin," Rufus notes. The couple spends the next few minutes pointing out their attributes in Alex. Nurse Taylor comes in to switch Lily's IV.

"Do you want to try skin to skin? It increases bonding with the baby," The nurse suggests.

"Sure," Lily hands Alex back to Rufus while readjusts her gown, exposing a patch of flesh. Rufus gently twirls Alex around so her head is on Lily's chest. Alex whimpers and moves her head to dig deeper into Lily's gown. Lily shivers at the warmness radiating from her daughter. Rufus glides his hand down Alex's back while Lily kisses her daughter's head.

"She is so calm," Rufus whispers to Lily, noticing that Alex's eyelids are starting to droop.

"I think she is asleep," Lily mumbles and twists her head to confirm her thought.

"We should probably get some sleep before she wakes up again, wanting food," Rufus tells Lily and takes Alex from her, placing the baby in the basinet.

"Good idea, I am ready to fall asleep," Lily says and yawns. Rufus kisses her and heads over to the couch, flipping off the lights on his way.

They get about two hours of sleep until Alex starts crying. Rufus rubs his eyes and heaves himself off the couch. He scoops her up and rocks her, hoping that she will fall back to sleep before Lily wakes up. Lily groans and her eyes slowly flicker open.

"She probably needs to be fed," Lily mumbles, her voice still husky with sleep. Rufus brings Alex back over to Lily while she is unbuttoning her gown. The nurse comes around for her hourly check and sees the couple fumbling with the baby.

"Do you guys want help?" Nurse Taylor asks.

"I am not sure yet, I haven't done in this in a long time," Lily admits and accepts Alex from Rufus. Alex is having trouble latching on which is making Lily tense and frustrated.

"Just relax, this is her first time, it's going to take a little bit," The nurse assures her. Rufus squeezes Lily's shoulder when Alex finally latches on.

"Good girl," Lily whispers and strokes Alex's face. Alex is all fed and Lily hands her over to Rufus so he can burp her.

"When your daughter falls asleep again, you might want to try standing up. We can't discharge you until you can walk around and eat on your own," The nurse suggests.

"Good, thank you for all your help," Lily says genuinely. The nurse leaves the couple alone with Alex who lets out a loud burp causing Rufus and Lily to laugh.

"Wow," Rufus chuckles and tickles Alex's stomach, causing a smile to tug at the corners of her mouth. Lily laughs and kisses Alex's cheek. Alex is starting to fade again, so Rufus puts her back in the basinet so she can sleep. While Rufus has his back turned, Lily swings her legs over the bed, easing herself to the floor. Lily feels a wave of dizziness crash over her since she hasn't stood up for over twelve hours.

Rufus sees Lily sway and rushes over to help her,

"Are you crazy? You almost fell," Rufus admonishes her as he slips an arm around her waist.

"Shut up and hold my hand please," Lily orders him and snags his hand. Rufus shakes his head at her, but helps her make circles around the room until she has proven that she is fine walking on her own.

"Do you want some breakfast because I am starving," Rufus tells her as they make their way back to her hospital bed.

"Yes please, I haven't had food since the party yesterday," Lily says and laughs. Rufus heads down to the cafeteria and Lily walks over to Alex's bassinet, just watching her sleep.

_Damn, _is this happening? Is she really staring down at her and Rufus' second child together? Alex is a beautiful blend of Lily and Rufus' best traits, making Lily wonder what Alex will look like one, five, ten years down the line. Will her hair turn dark like Rufus or stay blonde like Lily's? What will her personality be like? Is Alex going to inherit Lily's skepticism or become like Rufus who always sees the best in people?

Rufus comes back in the room with a tray of food, spotting Lily fully wrapped up in watching Alex. He quietly sets the tray down and materializes behind Lily, wrapping his arms loosely around her shoulders. Lily jumps a bit, but relaxes right away when she knows it's her husband.

"She looks like you when you sleep, the way she tucks her hand behind her head," Rufus points to Alex.

"At least she doesn't snore like you," Lily retorts, but grins to assure him that she is joking. Rufus stamps a kiss to the back of her head,

"I do not snore, but I have breakfast ready for us." Lily climbs in bed while Rufus sits down in the chair.

"We should call the kids and CeCe after we eat, I am sure they are waiting by the phone," Lily jokes and takes a sip of his orange juice. Rufus nods and bites into his pancakes.

Rufus finishes his breakfast first and grabs his phone off the table.

"Hello?" Eric says groggily when he picks up his cell phone.

"Eric? I thought I dialed Dan's number," Rufus says. Eric rubs his face and realizes the phone he has in his hand is not his.

"Oh, I guess this is Dan's phone, I think Dan is somewhere."

"When you locate everyone can you guys come to the hospital? Lily had the baby," Rufus tells his stepson. Eric groans and rolls off the couch, slamming into the floor.

"Ouch, okay, we will be there soon," Eric hangs up leaving Rufus stunned.

"I think all of our kids are hung over," Rufus tells Lily.

"As long as they don't throw up on the baby, they will be fine." Lily reaches for her phone and dials her mother.

"Hi mother," Lily says when her mom picks up the phone.

"Hello dear, I am guessing you are calling me to come to the hospital?"

"Yes, are you at the penthouse?"

"I just got here; I was out shopping for me new granddaughter."

"Can you grab the car seat in the nursery? We don't have anything to take Alex home in."

"Sure, I will be there soon." CeCe hangs up the phone, leaving Lily stunned.

"Did you and your mother just have a decent conversation?" Rufus asks her teasingly.

"I think we did, it must be my post-baby hormones talking."

An hour later, the kids start trickling into the hospital room. Rufus is holding a sleeping Alex while Lily is taking a picture on her phone.

"Hey guys, she is adorable!" Jenny gushes and walks over to her father, leaning over his shoulder.

"Can we hold her?" Serena asks, snapping a picture on her phone.

"Of course, but you guys need to wash your hands first," Lily tells them. Alex is being passes around while the kids are taking pictures. Lily and Rufus stand back, watching their kids gush over their half sibling. Serena takes her turn holding Alex and passes her over to Eric.

"So kids, how was your night last night?" Lily asks, watching everyone's faces blush.

"I don't really remember coming here to be honest," Dan admits.

"Yeah, I think I called Rufus a party pooper," Serena turns to Rufus who nods.

"Hey guys!" Eric exclaims, causing everyone to turn to him.

"What's wrong darling?" Lily asks, her voice dripping with distress.

"She pooped," Eric says and hands Alex over to Rufus. Dan makes a disgusted face while all of the girls laugh. Rufus puts her back in the basinet so he can change her. Lily gets out of bed and walks over to her suitcase, pulling out the onesie she packed for Alex.

"Here, can you change her too?" Lily asks Rufus, handing him the article of clothing.

"All my grandchildren in one room? Is this even possible?" CeCe asks when she enters with a gigantic pink teddy bear, a nurse trailing behind her with a car seat.

"Did you just find the biggest and most expensive toy in the store grandma?" Serena asks. CeCe sets the bear down on an empty chair and washes her hands. When Rufus is done changing Alex, he hands her over to CeCe.

"She looks like you Lily," CeCe states. Alex twitches and starts crying, apparently not liking being held by her grandmother. Lily covers her mouth to hide her laughter while Serena takes the baby from her. Alex immediately calms back down and cracks a slight smile.

"When do you get to take Alex home?" Jenny asks her father and stepmother. Lily and Rufus look at each other and shrug.

"Hopefully later today, but I really don't know," Lily asks.

"Mom, I think she fell asleep, where do you want her?" Serena asks. Lily smiles at her daughter holding Alex, she knows that Serena will make a great mother someday.

"Can you put her in the basinet? She is going to be up soon for another feeding," Lily says. Serena gently lays Alex down and sits by Lily's feet on the bed.

"I am starving and still a little drunk from last night. Does anyone else want to go get food?" Dan asks. All the kids and even CeCe agree, bidding Lily and Rufus goodbye.

"We finally got rid of them," Rufus jokes, nudging Lily playfully.

"My mother is oddly pleasant, I think something happened to her," Lily says, slightly kidding.

"She's happy Lil, you gave her another grandchild. I am going to go find a doctor to see about discharging you two," Rufus says and gets up from the chair, only to be pulled back Lily.

"Rufus wait," Lily says, before she even realizes it. Rufus furrows his eyebrows and puts his hands on his hips.

"Are you okay? You never want to stay longer than you have to."

"I just…I…am nervous about taking her home, it's been so long since I have had to take care of a baby. What if something happens?" Lily asks, looking up at him with fear. Rufus understands where she is coming from, he remembers Allison being terrified of taking Dan and Jenny home from the hospital, and it's not anything to be ashamed of.

"Honey, Alex is perfectly healthy, but if something does happen then we will bring her right back here. I think you are just afraid because you lost the bet we made when you were pregnant with her," Rufus allows her to use this as an excuse, something Lily is very appreciative of.

"You were actually the first one to change her diaper so that makes our bet null and void." Lily grins triumphantly and kisses him on the corner of his mouth.

"You aren't going to talk your way out of this one Lil, but for now, should I go find a doctor?" Rufus asks, wanting to get her approval this time.

"Yes please, the hospital smell is starting to get to me and I need a shower." Lily gently pushes him towards the door smiling as Rufus winks at her over his shoulder.

Rufus comes back a few minutes later to find Lily nursing Alex again.

"She woke up right after you left. Can you burp her?" Lily asks and kisses Alex before handing her over to Rufus.

"I talked to a nurse who is paging the doctor." Rufus says as he is patting Alex's back.

"Great, I am going to get our stuff together," Lily climbs out of bed and does a once over of the room, grabbing everything that is either hers or Alex's and throwing it in the suitcase.

Almost an hour later, Dr. Clare and a neonatologist resident knock on the door holding what Lily is guessing is their discharge papers.

"Hello again Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey, it is so nice to see you with your baby," Dr. Clare says and shakes their hands. Lily smiles at him, wishing that she chose him as her OB/GYN to begin with although Dr Sutherland is a fine doctor.

"Thank you for everything you did for us last night, I know I am not the easiest person to deal with," Lily says.

"Don't worry about it; it is part of my job. Now, I wanted to go over your discharge instructions for both you and your daughter. Take it easy and try not to expose your daughter to too much for the time being. Feel free to call the hospital if you have any questions. Come back immediately if there are any complications such as a fever in you or your daughter. Other than that, good luck." Dr. Clare steps back and lets the neonatologist examine Alex one last time, giving her a clean bill of health.

"Your daughter is good to go, nice meeting you," Both doctors exit leaving Lily and Rufus alone with Alex.

"Should we go home?" Rufus asks.

"I would love that," Lily says and starts buckling Alex into the car seat.

**A/N 2: That is all for now, I hope you liked it! Next chapter we jump six weeks ahead where Lily and Rufus celebrate a very "special" occasion. Reviews are always appreciated and thank you for reading!**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Thank you for all the kind reviews, I am so happy that people are still taking the time to read my story. We are getting close to the end, I have six chapters, including this one, planned out for sure, but I might add more if I feel like I should. For now, please enjoy the latest chapter!**

**Chapter Twenty One**

Since bringing Alex home almost six weeks ago, so much has changed. Rufus and Lily had to adjust with having a baby to take care of again. Rufus is happily surprised by Lily, who stays home with Alex or takes her wherever she goes. She hasn't mentioned hiring a nanny once, which tells Rufus that CeCe might have been wrong about her daughter.

Speaking of CeCe, her and Scott returned home a few days after they brought Alex home from the hospital. Eric and Dan left for the Hamptons a few days ago and Jenny went to go visit her mother in Hudson. Serena spends most of the time at Blair's, but she occasionally stops by for dinner and to spend some time with Alex.

Rufus is mostly looking forward to tomorrow, which officially marks six weeks after Alex was born. He and Lily are going out for a nice dinner and then to the Empire Hotel for a few hours of alone time before heading back home.

"Lil?" Rufus calls as he sets the newly purchased groceries down on the counter. He notices that the baby swing that is usually perched in the corner of the living room is missing; meaning Lily probably took Alex upstairs with her. Rufus abandons the food and heads up to the nursery just in case Alex is sleeping.

Finding it empty, Rufus then goes into the master bedroom where he finds his wife, clad only in a cream colored bra and a knee-length black skirt, frantically searching through the walk in closet.

Rufus spots the baby swing, slightly covered in Lily's clothing. He walks over to it and takes the articles off so he can see his daughter's cherub face.

"Lil, why are you halfway dressed and what are you looking for?" Rufus sits down on the floor next to the swing. Lily holds up a red halter top up to her chest, shakes her head and then flings it aimlessly behind her.

"Charles asked me to sit in on a meeting with him and I am trying to find a damn shirt to wear that doesn't make me look like I just had a baby," Lily snaps back in irritation. Rufus furrows his eyebrows, he knows his wife better than to write it off as her just being cranky. She hardly ever swears and she refuses to turn around, having her back to Rufus this entire time. Lily sniffs loudly and yanks a white ruffled tank top off of the hanger. She slips it over her head, being careful not to ruin her braided bun and starts looking around for shoes.

"Lil, why aren't you looking at me?" Rufus asks and stands up, accidently knocking into the swing. Lily's shoulders slump in defeat and she swivels around to face her husband. Rufus is shocked to see black mascara tears tumbling down Lily's cheeks. He immediately closes the gap between them and puts his hands on her hips.

"I'm sorry I…" Lily trails off and breaks eye contact with Rufus to look at Alex.

"Hey, why are you crying?" Rufus asks, wondering if something happened to Alex while he was gone.

"This will be the first time that I have been apart from Alex since she was born," Lily says, feeling slightly embarrassed to be crying over something so minor. Rufus lets out a sigh of relief and pulls Lily closer.

"I understand, but it's only going to be for a few hours and I am sure Chuck wouldn't be asking you to come if he doesn't need you," Rufus tries to pacify her and uses his thumb to wipe a stray tear.

"I know, I guess I have a little bit of separation anxiety," Lily admits and leans in so her head is resting on Rufus' chest. Rufus moves his arms up so he they are coiled tightly around her back.

"It's okay Lil, its normal for you to be feeling like this. What time is your meeting?"

"Two," Lily mumbles against the fabric of Rufus' brown Lincoln Hawk tee.

"Well it's almost one fifteen, you should probably get going soon," Rufus releases his hold on Lily, not before placing a kiss to her blonde tresses.

"Crap, I spent so much time looking for that shirt, now my makeup is a mess…" Lily throws her hands in the air and walks back into the adjoining bathroom. Rufus shakes his head and tells her that he is going to be downstairs putting the groceries away.

Lily comes out of the bathroom fifteen minutes later with her makeup and hair retouched. She lifts her sleeping daughter out of the swing, grabs her purse and carefully descends the stairs.

Rufus is making himself a sandwich when he hears the click-clack of Lily's heels making his way toward him. Lily gently sets Alex down in his arms and gives her a kiss on the forehead.

"Okay there are bottles in the fridge ready to be warmed up, her diaper bag and stroller is in the closet. She likes to sleep with that lamb we got her and…" Rufus cuts her rambling off with a gentle peck to the lips.

"I can handle it, don't worry," Rufus assures her. Lily bites her lip and gives him an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry; I know you can take care of our daughter. I'm just nervous."

"Don't be, I promise I will send you constant updates. You will know about every burp and poop Alex makes until you get back," Rufus jokes in order to ease Lily's nerves. Lily smiles and kisses him again, being careful not to smush Alex.

"I have to go," Lily whispers and brushes her finger over Alex's cheek. Rufus gently pushes her towards the elevator. Lily blows them a kiss over her shoulder and reluctantly gets on the awaiting elevator.

"Alex, you and I are going to go shopping for mommy but first, we are getting you out of this ugly dress," Rufus tells his daughter and takes her to the nursery.

Rufus changes her diaper and throws the green and pink plaid dress Alex was wearing in the hamper. He picks up an almost naked Alex and brings her over to her gigantic closet.

"Which one do you want to wear?" Rufus asks Alex who coos at him. Rufus picks out a onesie that he bought when Lily was pregnant. It's light blue and says "My daddy's a rock star" on it. He changes Alex and takes her back downstairs to grab the stroller and diaper bag.

"What the hell is this?" Rufus asks as he is taking out the beige Kate Spade bag with purple butterflies scattered across it. He straps Alex into the stroller and shoves the diaper bag deep into the storage compartment underneath the stroller, hoping that nobody will see it.

Rufus digs his iPhone out of his jean shorts and switches it over to camera mode.

"Smile Alex," Rufus says and holds the phone out in front of her face. Alex tries to reach for it, but Rufus pulls away. Instead, he tickles her stomach until a gummy smile stretches across Alex's face making for the perfect picture. Rufus sends the picture to Lily with the caption "Hi mommy!"

Lily's phone buzzes as she is walking into the board room at Bass. She sits down next to Charles' empty chair and grabs her phone from her black Chanel bag.

"Aw," Lily whispers and laughs, noticing that Rufus changed Alex out of that dress he hates.

**Thanks for the update, but shouldn't her shirt say 'my daddy's a **_**former**_** rock star?'**

** -L.**

Rufus is wheeling Alex out of the elevator when he gets a text back. He opens it up and rolls his eyes when he reads the message.

**Ouch Lil, at least she isn't wearing that awful dress your mother got her anymore.**

Rufus sends back and thanks Vanya as he opens the door for him. A part of Rufus is wondering how Lily is going to react to dropping Alex off at Blair's tomorrow so her and Serena can watch Alex. After the incident earlier, he is considering canceling all of their plans. However, it might be okay if he is there when Lily drops Alex off.

Lily is about to respond back to her husband, but Chuck walks in which means that their meeting has officially started. Chuck lightly kisses Lily's cheek and pulls in his chair. Lily drops her phone back in her purse and gives Chuck her undivided attention.

Rufus is trying and failing to wheel the stroller into Cartier jewelers. He smacks the side of the stroller into the door frame, startling Alex who starts to cry.

"Sorry kid," Rufus mumbles and locates a pacifier clipped to the side of the baby carrier. He pops it in Alex's mouth and she immediately settles. The doorman inside of the store rushes over and swings the door open wider so Rufus can wheel the stroller in.

"Hello, how can I help you today?" A red-headed saleslady asks Rufus.

"Hi I dropped off a necklace a few days ago and I need to pick it up," Rufus tells the lady who is looking affectionately at Alex.

"Of course, what is your name?" The saleslady asks, tearing her eyes away from Alex momentarily.

"Rufus Humphrey," Rufus responds, sending the saleslady to the back of the store. A few minutes later the lady comes back with a tiny non-descript gift bag. Rufus pays for his purchase and stuffs the bag in the bottom of the stroller.

Lily is trying and failing to pay attention to a potential investor's speech. She feels bad because Chuck asked her here to get her opinion and all she can think about is her daughter. Lily is hoping that she can handle dropping Alex off tomorrow, hopefully Rufus will help her like he did today.

"So what do you think Lily?" Chuck asks her privately once the investor sits back down. Lily nibbles on the inside of her cheek, trying to make it seem like she has a clue on what the suit was just talking about.

"I think…that…you should definitely look into their financial history before you make any sound decisions," Lily whispers back, proud of herself for thinking of that answer off the top of her head.

Rufus is combing through the lingerie at Macy's when Alex whimpers. A second later, the pacifier pops out of Alex's mouth as she sticks her lower lip out, getting ready to cry. Rufus recognizes the face, but can't resist sending a picture to Lily before he deals with his daughter.

Lily sees her phone light up with a text message. While Chuck is discussing the deal with another associate, Lily checks her message.

**Help mommy, daddy won't feed me!**

Lily covers her mouth to contain her laughter, but a little giggle slips through the cracks of her fingers. Chuck cranes his neck to see the picture, his features softening when he sees the picture of his half sister.

"Is Rufus playing Mr. Mom today?" Chuck asks sarcastically.

"He is watching our daughter while I am here," Lily answers simply and unlocks her phone.

**My poor baby! Daddy is being so mean to you! **

Lily sends the message and shuts her phone off when Pete Holbrook stands up to have the floor.

Rufus takes Alex to the seating area outside of the bathroom to give her the bottle. It isn't very warm, but it will have to do for now. Luckily, Alex doesn't seem to mind and gobbles it down. Rufus burps her and sets her back in the stroller with a sense of accomplishment, spending the day with Alex was easier than he thought.

He wheels the stroller back out into the store to pick the item he wants to see his wife in tomorrow night. He feels a little embarrassed to be buying lingerie for Lily in front of his daughter, but Alex is too young to know the difference. Alex is more focused on reaching for her toes than what Rufus is doing.

An hour later, the meeting finally ends and Chuck signals that he wants to talk to Lily.

"Hold on, let me call Rufus first," Lily tells him and then leaves the board room, taking her phone with her.

Rufus is wheeling a now sleeping Alex around Babies 'R Us, wanting to pick out a new toy for Alex to play with, when his phone vibrates.

"Hey Lil, how's the meeting going?" Rufus asks distractedly while picking up a handheld toy.

"I am almost done; Charles just wants to talk to me really fast. Do you mind getting dinner?" Rufus decides on a brightly covered non-breakable mirror to attach to Alex's mobile and stands in line.

"Sure, does Chinese sound good?" Rufus asks.

"Perfect, I should be home in about a half an hour," Lily and Rufus say their goodbyes. Rufus pays for the toy and calls the driver to take them back to the penthouse. While he is waiting, he orders the food to be sent to their apartment.

Lily slips back into the board room where everyone else but Chuck is gone.

"So Charles, how do you think the meeting went?" Lily asks as she leans down to collect her purse.

"Good, I think the board is pushing for the first investor rather than the second."

"I agree with them, the second investor didn't seem to have a solid plan."

"So you were paying attention," Chuck teases, making Lily blush.

"Sorry, Charles I didn't mean to make it seem like I didn't care. I was just worried about leaving Alex." Lily puts her hand on Chuck's, squeezing it before retracting her hand.

"Aren't Blair and Serena watching Alex tomorrow?" Chuck asks out of curiosity.

"If Rufus can pull me away from our daughter tomorrow than yes, they are watching Alex."

"I think Blair wants me to stop by and see her so I think I might." Lily kisses Chuck's cheek and says goodbye.

When Lily gets off the elevator she sees Rufus holding Alex, who is now awake, on the couch. Lily kicks off her shoes and sets her bag down on the floor before walking over to them.

"Hi honey," Lily mumbles and bends down to stamp a kiss on Rufus' lips.

"Hey," Rufus mutters back and kisses her deeper. Lily breaks contact to rest her forehead against Rufus', looking down at their active daughter. She plops down on the couch next to Rufus and tucks her legs under her.

"How was your day?" Lily asks while she reaches over to stroke Alex's cheek.

"Good, but Lil, what's with the diaper bag?" Rufus asks. Lily's eyebrows shoot together and her eyes flicker up to Rufus.

"What do you mean?"

"It's a little girly," Rufus' eyes dart over to the diaper bag resting on the counter. Lily laughs and is about to respond, when the phone rings. She reaches over to answer it.

"Hi Vanya…yup…send him up…thanks," Lily says and puts the phone back on the cradle.

"I am guessing our food is here," Rufus says to which Lily nods. Rufus puts Alex in Lily's arms so he can get money for the food.

"I missed you today," Lily whispers to Alex and takes in a waft of her daughter's signature scent. Rufus pays the deliveryman and heads back to the couch where Lily and Alex are. Lily stands up and motions for Rufus to grab the blanket resting at his end of the couch. Rufus sets the Chinese cartons down and spreads the blanket across the floor. Lily lays Alex on her stomach, giving her a couple of toys to play with while she and Rufus eat.

"Lil, you are going to love the gifts I got you," Rufus tells her between bites of his lo mien. Lily had no idea that they were exchanging gifts, but she isn't going to tell Rufus that. Hopefully she will have some time after her appointment tomorrow to buy him something before they meet up.

"You are going to love yours as well," Lily lies and offers him a sweet smile. She thinks she has an idea of what she is going to buy him; she just has to make it to the store without him finding out.

"Did you like the texts I sent you?" Rufus asks. Lily swallows her bite of food as she is nodding.

"Yes, Charles liked them too."

"Good, then I hope you can properly thank me for them tomorrow," Rufus says, watching Lily's jaw drop.

"Rufus Humphrey! Is sex all you can think about?"

"Oh come on Lil, don't play that card with me. I know for a fact that you have a little heart on your calendar upstairs six weeks after Alex was born." Lily opens her mouth and then shuts it, trying to formulate a reasonable answer.

"Well, that is to remind me that I have an appointment with Dr. Sutherland tomorrow." Rufus quirks an eyebrow, obviously not buying her story,

"Regardless, we will have a good night tomorrow Lil."

"I am just a little worried about leaving Alex with Blair and Serena; they aren't always the most responsible people." Lily says, casting a downward glance at Alex who is busy trying to shove her fist in her mouth.

"Serena has proven that she can grow up and Dorota is there in case the girls can't handle it."

"You will have to remind me of that at Blair's tomorrow. If I see any alcohol in sight we are not leaving Alex there," Lily tells him sternly, causing Rufus to nod in agreement.

"Fine, but I think the girls are excited about watching her, at least Serena is. Besides, just think about a dinner with just the two of us tomorrow and then desert at the hotel." Lily puts her empty carton of food on the coffee table in order to scoot closer to her husband.

"Hmmm…I can't wait," Lily says and moves to sit on his lap, placing intermittent kisses on his neck. Rufus drops his garbage on the table behind him as his breath starts to hitch.

"Don't start something you can't finish," Rufus whispers while he pulls Lily up to his face. Alex sees her parents divert their attention away from her so she starts squealing. Lily and Rufus break apart from each other to look down at their daughter who gives them a toothless grin back.

"She likes being the center of attention I guess," Rufus tells Lily, keeping his hold on her in his lap. Lily tips her head to kiss her husband's cheek before standing up.

"I am going to take a shower, do you mind cleaning up?" Lily asks.

"Nope, as long as you promise we can shower together at the hotel tomorrow," Rufus proposes with his eyebrows bouncing up and down.

"You are insatiable," Lily laughs and picks Alex up, depositing her in Rufus' arms.

"Only for you," Rufus says, planting a lingering kiss on her chin. Lily laughs and heads upstairs.

"Alex, I am going to apologize in advance for hearing me and your mom have sex because it will happen eventually," Rufus tells his daughter who is starting to fall back asleep. Rufus takes her upstairs to the nursery and heads back to the living room to clean up their dinner.

The next day, Lily straps Alex in her stroller and slips the pacifier in her mouth.

"Why are you taking Alex to your appointment?" Rufus asks out of interest.

"Dr. Sutherland wanted to meet her since she was out of town when I delivered Alex. I thought since she did all my prenatal care, it was the least I could do," Lily explains.

"Okay, well I have to go. I'll see you later," Rufus gives Lily a quick kiss bye and pulls up the hood of the stroller to kiss Alex on the forehead.

Rufus hails a cab to the florist near the penthouse. He buys Lily a bouquet of pink roses and some rose petals to spread across their bed. Rufus is hoping that this will make up for the surprise he planned for her that was cut short when she went into labor.

Lily is busy wrapping up her appointment with Dr. Sutherland. Fortunately Alex slept through the whole thing. Even though her daughter is still so young, Lily still finds it awkward to have Alex sit in on a gynecological exam.

"So your daughter is adorable and you are cleared for sex, any questions?" Dr. Sutherland asks Lily, making her blush slightly.

"Thank you and no, I think I am okay." Lily shakes Dr. Sutherland's hand and wheels the stroller out of the doctor's office. She almost stopped at the receptionist's desk to schedule another appointment, but Lily is grateful that she doesn't have to. Lily likes Dr. Sutherland, but not the exams themselves.

"Are you hungry Alex?" Lily asks her daughter as she is starting to wake up. Two hazel eyes mirroring her father's stare up at Lily, Alex's notorious pout already starting to take shape. Lily stops in the bathroom to feed Alex before heading out of the office.

With the help of her driver, Lily folds up the stroller and places Alex in the back seat.

"Where would you like to go Mrs. Humphrey?" Isaac asks.

"Um, how about Bergdorf's?" Lily requests, not sure if she can actually find what she is looking for there. Unfortunately, the high end stores Lily usually buys gifts for Rufus at isn't too big on diaper bags.

Isaac helps Lily set up Alex in the stroller before departing. Lily asks the first saleswoman she sees if they had any diaper bags for men. The lady shakes her head and takes her over to the men's side of the accessories department.

"You might be better off at a baby store, most stores just carry briefcases and messenger bags for men," The saleslady suggests and leaves Lily alone. Lily doesn't find the diaper bag, but she figures she might as well get some lingerie for Rufus tonight.

Lily decides on a black silk teddy with rhinestones around the neckline. She also buys some new fishnet tights with black bows at the top of them. Lily makes a mental note to wear her red stilettos tonight to complete the look.

Lily pays for her purchases and stops to get a late lunch at a café on Fifth Avenue. Lily changes Alex after she is done eating and then leaves the restaurant.

"Can you take me to Giggle on Lexington please?" Lily asks Isaac when he picks her and Alex up in front of Bergdorf's. Isaac drops her off and waits outside until Lily is done.

"Hi, I know this is an odd request, but I was wondering if you had any diaper bags for men. My husband keeps complaining that the one we have is too girly for him," Lily tells a blonde saleswoman.

"Of course, we get that a lot. Follow me," The blonde takes Lily to a tiny section in the back of the store devoted to men's accessories.

"Our most popular one is this black one here," the salesperson points to a simple ebony over the shoulder bag with zippers down the sides making it seem like a laptop case. Lily isn't that impressed with it, it's too plain for Rufus' tastes.

"I will take this one please," Lily points to a rustic brown messenger bag with various sized pockets on the side.

"Let me go see if we have that in stock," The saleswoman excuses herself. Alex coos at the bright colored woman's diaper bags next to the men's. Lily tickles Alex's cheek until she hears her phone ring in her Marc Jacobs bag.

"Hi sweetheart, what are you doing?" Rufus asks after Lily says hello. Lily purses her lips, she can't tell Rufus that she is out shopping because he will figure out that she didn't buy him anything but she doesn't want to lie to him.

"I am about five minutes away from penthouse," Lily says, settling for a half of a lie.

"Here is your bag," the saleslady tells Lily, not realizing that she is on the phone. Rufus hears a muffled voice on his wife's end of the phone and the word bag. He is assuming that Lily is out shopping for his present, he could tell by the look on her face yesterday that she didn't have anything to give him. However, he doesn't want Lily to know that yet, he wants to watch her sweat it out.

"I should be home in about ten minutes. Do you want something to eat?" Rufus asks as he steps into a taxi.

"Uh no, that's fine, I had lunch at the café at Barney's. I will see you when you get home," Lily says.

"Okay, bye, love you," Rufus tells her.

"Bye, love you too," Lily hangs up and quickly buys the bag. The only problem is sneaking her bags in past Rufus. She never mentioned to him that she was going shopping so he might ask.

Lily and Alex go back to the penthouse where Rufus is eating some chili. Rufus eyes Lily's shopping bags and smiles at her.

"What did you buy me?" Rufus asks, watching Lily's eyes widen in shock.

"How did you know?" Lily isn't even going to bother trying to lie, she is caught.

"I could tell the second I mentioned getting you a present that you didn't get me one." Lily takes Alex out of the stroller and holds her while she walks over to Rufus.

"I didn't know that we were exchanging gifts otherwise I would have bought you something earlier," Lily admits sheepishly.

"Don't worry, I didn't spend too much money on you," Rufus nudges her.

"I am glad, I wouldn't want you to empty out the change in your "Welcome Back Kotter" mug on my account," Lily jokes.

"Speaking of tonight, I made a reservation at six so we should probably leave here about five," Rufus says.

"You never told me where we are eating at," Lily mentions as she readjusts Alex on her shoulder.

"I like to keep some things mysterious," Rufus tells her and takes a bite of his chili.

"Fine, I am going to get Alex and I ready then," Lily turns on her heels and exits the kitchen, heading toward the stairs, stopping to pick up the "girly" diaper bag.

"Remember we are only dropping her off for a few hours so pack light," Rufus teases her. Lily rolls her eyes and takes Alex into the nursery. She sets Alex down in the crib while she loads some pajamas, another change of clothes, extra diapers and wipes and Alex's favorite lamb into the bag. Lily has to shove the few things in there so the diaper bag will close, but she manages.

"How about a bath Alex?" Lily asks her daughter, bending down to scoop her daughter out of the crib. Alex instinctively leans into Lily, burying herself in her mother's chest. Lily rubs circles on Alex's back as she takes her daughter into a bathroom next to Serena's bedroom that has a baby bath set up in the sink.

Rufus goes to their bedroom to get dressed so he can watch Alex while Lily is getting ready. He picks out a forest green dress shirt that Lily loves on him pairing it with black dress pants and shoes.

Lily comes into their bedroom a half an hour later with Alex dressed in the black onesie she bought in the Hamptons. She passes Alex over to Rufus with a kiss before looking at the alarm clock on the nightstand.

"I don't have enough time for a shower doI?" Lily asks, noting the time is a little after four.

"We can take a shower at together later if you start to stink," Rufus tells her as he sets Alex on her back down on the bed. Lily gives him a death glare and disappears into the bathroom to adjust the bobby pins holding up her bun.

"You better watch it or you aren't getting any tonight!" Lily says back to him and walks past him, going into their closet.

"Your mom acts tough Alex, but I know she won't be able to resist me," Rufus tells his daughter while dangling a rattle over her, trying to get Alex to reach for it.

He can hear Lily scoff as she takes her scarlet cocktail dress out of the garment bag.

"Oh please, we both know it's the other way around," Lily informs him and reaches down to grab her crimson Alice and Olivia stilettos.

"Do you want to bet?" Rufus asks her with an arrogant smile. Lily narrows her eyes at him and crosses her arms.

"What does the winner get?" Lily asks, wanting to keep things interesting in her marriage. It's not that she doesn't love Rufus, but things between couples tend to flame out after having a child. She doesn't want that to happen to them.

"I will have to think about it, but you should get dressed. We need to go pretty soon," Rufus tells her and nods to the open bathroom door. Lily glares at him again and slams the bathroom door shut behind her.

Ten minutes pass before Lily steps out in her dress and heels adding in some ruby jewelry to make her dress pop. Rufus wolf-whistles and gestures for her to spin around, causing Lily to roll her eyes dramatically. Lily does a quick twirl, deciding it is easier to indulge him, liking the lust-filled look her husband is wearing.

"You are ridiculous," Lily says and leans over the bed so her lips are inches from his.

"You are ridiculously hot so that makes us even," Rufus brings her face closer so he can kiss her. Lily breaks contact to pick up Alex, reaching for a washcloth to protect her shoulder in case her daughter spits up. Rufus snags his wife's hand and leads them downstairs so Lily can put Alex in the stroller.

"Can you grab the diaper bag in the nursery if it doesn't destroy your manhood?" Lily asks him teasingly. Rufus pinches her arm and goes back upstairs, coming back moments later with the bag to tuck into the bottom of the stroller.

Rufus, Lily and Alex take the car to Blair's where she is waiting in the living room with Serena.

"Hi Blair, Serena," Lily kisses both of their cheeks as Rufus lifts Alex out of the stroller, handing her over to Serena.

"She is adorable," Blair gushes, hovering over Serena's arm to look at Alex. Rufus wraps his arm around Lily's waist; he can tell that his wife is starting to regret dropping their daughter off by the nervous smile on her face.

"Everything that you need should be in the diaper bag, however, if you need anything just call. Alex usually falls asleep around seven, but will be up about ten for a bottle. Make sure you warm them up before giving it to her and…" Lily is cut off by Rufus squeezing her shoulder, signaling that she can stop at any time.

"Don't worry mom, Blair and I can handle this. Dorota will be here if we have any questions. Please go and have fun, but remember, I don't want to hear about it," Serena winks at her mother, knowing how Lily tends to over share.

"Right…okay…well bye," Lily gives Blair and Serena a weak smile, making no attempt to leave. Rufus realizes that he is going to have to physically take his wife out of Blair's apartment because Lily certainly isn't moving on her own. Rufus slides his arm that is around Lily's waist and reaches down to intertwine their fingers. He then turns on his heels, taking Lily to the elevator.

"I did it again didn't I?" Lily asks with disappointment as the elevator is falling.

"A little, but the important thing is you left Alex there with Blair and Serena," Rufus kisses her temple while the elevator doors are opening. Lily grins at him, squeezing his hand as she leads him to the car.

"Where are we going Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey?" Isaac asks them when they get settled in the back of the car. Lily rests her head on Rufus' shoulder, her eyes flickering up to his face.

"We have reservations at Bella Vita tonight," Rufus tells the driver then looks down to his wife, watching her face light up.

"Rufus how did you get a table? That place just opened," Lily says in amazement.

"Apparently the owner of the restaurant is a romantic at heart. Chuck gave me his number and I explained that I was taking you out for the first time after having a baby. The owner gave us a private table in the back and a free appetizer. I am telling you Lil, our daughter is better than a puppy sometimes," Rufus explains. Lily laughs and slings her arm around Rufus' stomach.

"I am glad that you used Alex to get us a table at a restaurant," Lily reaches up to plant a kiss on Rufus' cheek.

Isaac stops the car in front of the restaurant and opens the door for them. Rufus hands him a tip before snagging Lily's hand, taking her into the restaurant. The hostess leads them to their promised private table in Bella Vita.

"Your waiter will be right with you," The hostess tells the couple and excuses herself from the table. The waiter comes to their table and orders drinks.

"Come here," Rufus says and puts his arm around Lily, pulling her towards him in the booth. Lily cuddles closer to him as their drinks are set on the table. They put in their food orders and hand the waiter the menus.

"I want to give you your present," Lily tells him and twists her body to snatch up the gift bag resting on the floor.

"Sure, I'll get yours," Rufus takes the tiny gift bag and they switch gifts.

"Open yours first Rufus please," Lily requests and bites her lip in anticipation. Rufus laughs and pulls out the diaper bag from the tissue paper.

"Oh wow, Lil, thank you," Rufus stamps a kiss on her lips.

"Do you like it? I didn't really have that many options."

"I love it, I can't believe you got this for me," Rufus says in amusement; leave it to Lily to find a designer male diaper bag for him.

"I thought it was easier to buy you one then to listen to you complain," Lily gives him a seductive smile.

"Maybe I should return your gift to the store," Rufus says and takes the gift bag out of Lily's lap. Lily gasps and snatches back her present making Rufus chuckle.

"Rufus, I love it! I am so surprised that you remembered, thank you," Lily pulls his face in to kiss him passionately. A week ago while Lily was taking a shower, Rufus took the necklace with all of their kids' birthstones that he got her for Christmas and brought it to Cartier to have them add in Alex's. Rufus clasps the necklace onto his wife and kisses her cheek.

"I have another gift for you later," Rufus whispers and nips her earlobe. Lily's chocolate orbs widen and is about to respond when their food is placed in front of them.

"I have another gift for you too," Lily tells him when she swallows her bite of lobster ravioli. This peaks Rufus' interest and starts looking around for it.

"Where is it?" Rufus asks, not being able to find it anywhere on the table or on the floor.

"It's for the hotel later," Lily tells him, trying not to laugh at the crushed look on her husband's face when he couldn't locate his present.

They wrap up their dinner and Lily checks her phone to make sure Serena hasn't called or texted her.

"Is everything okay?" Rufus asks, reaching over to look at Lily's phone.

"I hope so, Serena hasn't tried to call you has she?" Lily asks. Rufus takes his phone out of his pocket and shows Lily his lock screen picture of Alex with no texts or calls from Serena.

"She is fine Lil, are you ready to go?" Rufus asks her while he is signing for the check.

"Yes, thank you for this nice dinner," Lily kisses his cheek and slides out of the booth. Rufus stands up and places his hand on her shoulder, guiding her into the car.

Isaac drops them off at the hotel and Rufus asks him to pick them up in a few hours. Lily and Rufus grab their gifts for each other and head for the elevator.

"It was so nice of Charles to let us borrow one of the penthouses for the night," Lily comments as they are riding up to their room.

"I think Chuck is starting to come around," Rufus muses when the elevator doors open.

"He is trying to become a part of our family especially now that Alex is born. Charles is aware that if he messes up again than that's it, but I don't think we will have to worry about that," Lily tells him and runs her fingers through his hair.

"Should we open our other gifts now?" Rufus asks, stopping her in the hallway so she can't see the bedroom.

"Of course, here you go," Lily and Rufus give each other the second part of their gifts to each other and open them at the same time.

"You got me lingerie?" Lily asks, admiring the plum silk fabric of the chemise.

"You gave me lingerie for you to wear?" Rufus asks in disbelief.

"We gave each other the same gift, now that's weird," Lily comments, coiling her arm around Rufus' shoulder.

"Which one do you want to wear for me?" Rufus asks her.

"It's up to you since you arranged all of this for us," Lily says sincerely. Rufus gets a crestfallen look on his face as he compares the two pieces. Lily waits patiently for him to choose, a bemused expression chasing across her features.

"I like this one better," Rufus drops the plum clothing on the floor and hands her the black teddy.

"Good, it comes with tights," Lily whispers and goes into the bathroom in the hallway to change. She comes out a few minutes later with her hair down and still wearing the heels.

Rufus strolls over to her and picks her up, walking her backwards toward the bedroom. Lily coils her hands around his neck, pulling him in to kiss him fervently. She breaks away from his lips to start unbuttoning his shirt, bending her head down to nip at the patch of flesh. Rufus moans and lays them down gently on the bed.

"Wait, I want to get my phone just in case," Lily pats his chest and runs to her purse that is left in the hallway. When she comes back, Lily notices the bouquet resting on the bedside table and the rose petals scattered across the bed, making her smile serenely at Rufus.

"Stop hovering in the doorway and get over here," Rufus demands. Lily bites her lip and puts the phone next to the flowers. She climbs on the bed and straddles Rufus. Rufus slips one strap of the teddy out of her arm at a time. Lily looks down as the teddy cascades down her skin, leaving her chest exposed. Rufus turns them over in order to be able to suck at Lily's nipples, eliciting a moan from Lily.

Lily takes Rufus' shirt off and her hands starts to descend into his pants, expertly massaging his balls. Rufus assaults her neck with gentle kisses while Lily takes his boxers and pants off, throwing his clothes off the bed. Rufus gets the rest of Lily's outfit off of her so they are both naked.

Rufus' fingers trickle down Lily's body until it reaches her clit. Lily rotates them over again, liking to be on top. Lily rejoins their lips, gasping into this mouth when Rufus slides his fingers into her.

Lily hums and closes her eyes. Rufus retracts his fingers, not appreciating the one-sided seducing that is going on between them. Lily's eyes open and she furrows her eyebrows in confusion.

"Why did you stop?" Lily asks, her breathing starting to quicken.

"I want some too," Rufus says and kisses her forehead. A wicked smile spreads across Lily's mouth as she starts stroking Rufus' length. Rufus moans and tips his head back.

"Okay enough," Rufus whispers and pulls Lily's hands away. Rufus swirls around her entrance before entering her fully.

He starts slowly thrusting into Lily making her eyes slightly roll back in her head. As he picks up the pace, Lily's phone rings making Rufus stop.

"Hold on…it's Serena…" Lily says and tries to control her breathing. Rufus sighs rubs his face with his hands.

"Hi mom, how long do I heat up Alex's bottle for?" Serena asks and looks to Blair who is holding Alex. Rufus glides his fingers up and down Lily's arm, admiring the way she can flip from horny wife to concerned mother in a matter of a few seconds.

"Don't microwave it, bring the water to a boil for about two to three minutes and it should be fine," Lily instructs Serena.

"Okay, mom why are you breathing so heavily?" Serena asks out of interest. Rufus watches a pinkish hue heat up Lily's body, wondering what she and Serena are talking about.

"I thought you didn't want to know Serena. Rufus and I will be back to pick up Alex in about an hour." Lily says simply.

"Oh! Ew…okay…bye," Serena hangs up the phone and slaps her forehead. She told Lily that she didn't want to hear about it, but yet she is asking about it. Lily puts the phone back on the table and bursts into laughter.

"What did Serena have to say?" Rufus asks, curious as to why his wife is giggling.

"She figured out that we were in the middle of having sex and couldn't get off the phone fast enough," Lily says, putting her head against Rufus' bare chest. Rufus' chest shakes with laughter, caressing her blonde hair.

"Well now that we have succeeded in traumatizing both of your children, shall we continue?" Rufus asks as Lily brings her head back up to look at him.

"Yes, but we should skip the shower, I think Alex is starting to get fussy," Lily tells him.

"How about we move to the shower instead?" Rufus asks. Lily stands up and guides Rufus into the bathroom. They have sex in the shower and then get dressed back into the clothes they were wearing before. Lily stuffs the two pieces of lingerie deep into her purse and grabs the roses.

"You ready?" Rufus asks her. Lily stops him to fix the button that was placed in the wrong hole. Lily grabs his collar, pulling him in for a long kiss.

"Thank you, I really had fun tonight, even though we were interrupted." Lily mumbles when they separate from each other.

"Good, I did too, but Lil, we never talked about our bet," Rufus tells her as they are stepping into the elevator.

"True, I guess we will just have to save it for next time then," Lily winks at him. Rufus and Lily step off the elevator and breeze through the hotel and climb into the car, instructing Isaac to take them to Blair's.

About halfway there, Lily texts Serena to tell them that they are coming while Rufus stares out the window.

"Serena texted me back telling us to make sure we look decent. Should I even respond to that?" Lily asks, showing him the text.

"We will be there in a few minutes so I don't think so," Rufus says, complementing Serena on her brazenness.

"I can't really yell at her because she was no nice to watch Alex for us tonight, but if I could, I would," Lily informs him with a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

The limo pulls to a stop in front of the Waldorf's apartment. Lily and Rufus ask Isaac to stay until they get back before he is relieved of duty. Isaac is happy to wait, hoping that he will get a big tip because of it.

"Hey mom, hey Rufus, I take it you guys had a fun night?" Serena asks playfully when she sees her mom and step-father step off of the elevator.

"Well your mother and I had sex two times if that's what you're asking," Rufus says and holds up two fingers, mouthing the word twice over to Serena.

"Rufus!" Serena exclaims, holding her hands to prevent her step-father from elaborating. Lily puts her hand over her mouth and elbows her husband in the ribs, that wasn't exactly her idea of getting back at Serena, but it did the job.

"How did your night with Alex go? I hope she wasn't too bad," Lily says, steering their conversation away from her sex life with Rufus.

"She was great, didn't cry except when she wanted to be fed. Chuck stopped by for a little which was surprising. He actually seemed to enjoy Alex's company for a while and then he took Blair out for a late dinner. Anyway, she is upstairs in Blair's room and her stuff is over there," Serena points to the diaper bag and stroller in the corner by the couch.

"Thank you Serena for doing this, I really appreciate it," Lily hugs her daughter and then heads upstairs to Blair's room where Dorota is watching over Alex to make sure she doesn't fall off of Blair's bed.

"She is very good Mrs. Humphrey," Dorota says and stands up so Lily can sit down next to Alex who is sound asleep.

"Thank you Dorota, she is a good girl," Lily leans down to kiss Alex before picking her up.

"I am glad that you and my mom got to have a good night alone," Serena tells Rufus.

"Thank you for watching Alex, Serena, I know it took a load off of Lily's mind," Rufus rubs Serena's shoulder.

"No problem, but I am not a babysitter on retainer, unless it's an emergency."

"Understood," Rufus and Serena turn their heads to see Lily walking down the stairs with Alex tucked in her arms. Serena watches Rufus beam with pride and feels happy for her mother. Out of Lily's several failed marriages, it appears that she finally found someone to spend the rest of her life with. Serena is a little jealous that she didn't have a father like Rufus growing up, but what's done is done. She has a good relationship with her real father now, having forgiven him for abandoning her a long time ago.

Lily kisses Serena goodbye and straps Alex into the stroller. Rufus swings the diaper bag over his shoulder, causing Serena to laugh.

"What?" Rufus asks, hearing his step-daughter's child-like laughter echo through the apartment.

"Nothing, it's just you look very manly carrying that diaper bag Rufus," Serena says sarcastically.

"Your mother bought another one, it's in the car," Rufus defends himself. Lily nods her head and pushes the button on the down elevator.

"Goodnight," Serena says and waves. Rufus holds the door open so Lily can push the stroller in and waves back to Serena, as the elevator doors close in front of them.

**A/N 2: That is all you are getting for now, I hope you enjoyed it! Next chapter jumps ahead a little in time and involves a family dinner going horribly wrong. Please leave a review on your way out and thanks for reading!**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: I think it is important to say this every chapter, thanks for all of the reviews! I am asking that you don't give up on this story, especially since we are so close to the end! Just a warning, this chapter is rated M. I hope you enjoy.**

**Chapter Twenty Two**

It wasn't supposed to happen like this. Their night should have not gone like _this_. All they wanted was a nice family dinner and this is what they ended up getting.

This is why Lily Humphrey hates hospitals. It's the waiting; the not knowing what is going on that gets to her. One thing Lily does not do well is patience; she can't stand that helpless feeling that usually happens when you end up at a hospital. This is how she felt when Eric tried to kill himself, only this time it is different. The person lying in the bed is not her son, no. It is Rufus, her husband, the love of her life, the one person who could keep her from unraveling at times like this.

A part of Lily is mad, at God, at someone, at anyone for the randomness in the world. Her and her family didn't deserve what happened; yesterday everything was fine, great even. Now, they are left waiting, wondering and hoping that Rufus will be okay. The only thing Lily is left to do is ponder the events of the past twenty four hours, leaving her baffled by what a difference a day makes.

_24 Hours Earlier_

_ As Lily is changing Alex one last time before she puts her daughter to bed, she feels two arms slink around her waist, a head being lightly pressed onto her shoulder. _

_ "Hey," Lily says to the owner of the arms, none other than her husband. Rufus kisses Lily's clothed shoulder and watches her expertly change Alex's diaper. _

_ "She is getting so big," Rufus whispers to Lily, his eyes adoringly looking down at their daughter, who is trying desperately to roll away from his wife. Lily lightly pushes Alex onto her back so she can slide the diaper under her daughter's legs._

_ "She is six months old Rufus," Lily says and slides her eyes over to her husband's, a smile chasing across her face briefly._

_ "Still, she is going to be one before we know it," Rufus comments as Lily sticks the diaper straps to the front of Alex's body._

_ "Is there a point to this conversation? Or are you trying to make me cry?" Lily asks teasingly. Rufus tips his head down to smile into her scapula before bringing it back up again._

_ "I actually came in here to run an idea across you," Rufus tells her. _

_ "Oh? Well I better listen because your ideas are few and far between," Lily jokes playfully and throws the dirty diaper into the hamper beside the changing table. _

_ "Cute, Lil, now will you shut up and listen?" Rufus asks her, squeezing his arms that are linked around her waist to signify he is only kidding._

_ "Before you unload your wisdom upon me, will you hold Alex so I can get her pajamas?" Lily asks. Rufus releases his hold on her and moves forward, placing his hand on Alex's belly, tickling her. Lily walks over to her daughter's rapidly expanding closet and chooses a fleece white and pink striped onesie thinking that since it is the middle of January, Alex might get cold in the middle of the night. Lily walks back over to Rufus and hands him the onesie, letting him change her while she stands back._

_ "Anyway, I was thinking since Scott is leaving the day after tomorrow, we should have a family dinner out. We have been eating in since Christmas, I think it would be nice to take all the kids out one last time before Scott has to go back to Boston," Rufus proposes as he slips Alex's feet into her pajamas. _

_ "I love the idea, I think Scott is getting tired of eating your waffles and chili every night," Lily teases, just to get Rufus riled up. Predictably, Rufus twists his head to glare at Lily who winks back at him._

_ "Well since I am the only one who can cook out of the two of us, I don't think you should be complaining," Rufus tells her and buttons up Alex's onesie. Lily huffs as Rufus scoops Alex up and deposits her in Lily's arms, giving his wife a long kiss._

_ "Hmmm…are you coming to bed?" Rufus asks, kissing her once more. _

_ "Yeah in a minute, I just have to put Alex to bed first," Lily whispers and kisses him in return. Rufus smiles against her lips before leaning down to kiss Alex on the forehead. Lily pushes him out of the room so she can settle Alex into the crib quickly, wanting to get into bed with Rufus. _

_ "Goodnight Alex," Lily says to her daughter, reaching over the crib to put Alex in it. Alex babbles incoherently as Lily pulls the blankets over her and places Alex's favorite lamb beside her. Lily gives her daughter a kiss on the cheek before turning on her heels, switching off the light and closing the door in the process. _

_ When Lily gets to the master bedroom, Rufus has already discarded his black pants and cerulean dress shirt he was wearing earlier. Lily smiles at him and disappears into the bathroom, coming out ten minutes later with her teeth brushed and her makeup off. _

_ "Hey Lil, I just texted the kids about dinner tomorrow night," Rufus tells his wife who is busy changing into an ebony, silk colored nightgown. Lily pulls the teddy over her head and then climbs into bed beside Rufus, double checking to make sure the baby monitor is on. _

_ "They might be too busy at the gala to respond," Lily reminds him. Rufus turns his phone off and sets it on the nightstand._

_ "You know, that used to be us," Rufus reminds her, his hazel eyes flickering over to meet her chocolate ones. _

_ "I know and you hated every minute of it. Although, I do miss going to parties sometimes even with you complaining," Lily says and scoots closer to Rufus in bed. _

_ "I can assure you Lil that we can have more fun than the kids are having at some boring party," Rufus says, his eyebrows wagging mischievously. _

_ "Oh yeah? How?" Lily asks, her eyes sparkling. Rufus takes that as a challenge and gently rolls on top of her, pinning her hands above her head. _

_ "Like…this…" Rufus mumbles and starts kissing her lips, moving across to her ear and then down her neck. Lily closes her eyes and enjoys Rufus' lips igniting her skin. Lily's hands skate down Rufus' torso, stopping at his mid-drift to pull his shirt over his head. She leans up to nip at his pectorals, knowing it will drive Rufus insane. _

_ Rufus responds with sucking on Lily's neck, causing her to moan loudly. Rufus clamps his hand over Lily's mouth, warning her to be quiet or she will wake up the baby. Lily is caught off guard at first but nods, an indication she got the message. Rufus swaps his hand with his lips while he slides the teddy off of her shoulders, letting it pool at her feet. _

_ "How is that I am always naked first?" Lily asks with a slight pout. Rufus shrugs and swirls his fingers around her nipples, watching them become hard. _

_ "Technically we both have our underwear on still," Rufus retorts as he makes his way down Lily's chest with his tongue, stopping to dip his tongue into her belly button. Lily bites down on her lip, swallowing the moan threatening to escape her mouth. In order to distract herself, Lily rakes her hands through Rufus' hair, bringing him up so she can take his boxers off._

_ "Ugh sweetie, you don't play fair," Rufus says and meshes her lips with his._

_ "I wanted you to be naked before me for a change," Lily gives him a triumphant smile and leans back into the pillows, telling Rufus that he can now do whatever he wants with her. Rufus' eyes darken with desire and he slides deeper under the covers. He places feather light kisses to Lily's inner thighs before he takes the cream colored lace panties off of her, letting them fall to the foot of the bed. _

_ Rufus inserts his fingers in her, making gentle circles at the folds of her clit. Lily reaches for a pillow, clenching it so she won't make any loud noises. Rufus ends his tantalizing torture when he moves back up so he is eye level with Lily. _

_ Lily kisses him and reaches under the sheets to start stroking him. Rufus buries his head in her hair, getting lost in the lilac scent. When Lily's teasing ceases, Rufus takes the opportunity to enter her, beginning slowly. Lily is caught off guard completely and whimpers quietly. _

_ "Ah…Rufus…harder…" Lily orders and starts scraping at his back, trying to pull him deeper inside of her. Rufus quickly picks up the pace, not wanting to disappoint his wife. Lily places messy kisses to his neck and jaw line._

_ "Shit…Lil," Rufus whispers as Lily starts to buck her hips, hoping to be in sync with his thrusts. Soon, Lily feels her stomach muscles clench down, her mind slips into a fog, and her heart starting to beat faster._

_ "Oh! Rufus! YES!" Lily cries, her orgasm seizing control over her body. Rufus can sense her convulsing around him, her eyes rolling back into her head, signaling that she is busy riding out her euphoric state. It takes Rufus a few seconds, but eventually he joins her and has his own mind-blowing orgasm._

_ "That was fun," Lily says softly as Rufus slips out of her, having already shriveled up inside of her. _

_ "I told you," Rufus says with confidence. Lily glares at him before placing her head on his chest. Rufus rubs her bare back and readjusts in order to be more comfortable._

_ "You don't always have to be right you know," Lily jokes and picks her head up so her lips are hovering over his. _

_ "Yes I do," Rufus gives her his adorable boyish grin and grabs her face, pulling her in for a goodnight kiss. Lily breaks away and puts her head back where it was. _

_ "Goodnight Rufus," Lily mumbles hazily, her eyelids already starting to droop._

_ "Night Lil," Rufus answers back in the same fashion. _

_ The next morning, Rufus is making everyone waffles while Lily is trying and failing to feed Alex breakfast. _

_ "Come on Alex, open up," Lily says and touches Alex's mouth lightly with the spoon. Alex jerks her head away, the applesauce splashing across the side of her face. Lily sighs and puts the spoon back on the highchair. Rufus watches this mother-daughter exchange from his position behind the counter, attempting not to laugh. _

_ Alex is just as, if not more, stubborn than Lily, which makes Rufus a little scared and amused. However, he can tell that his wife is starting to get frustrated so he better intervene._

_ "Lil, do you want to switch places with me?" Rufus asks. Lily scoops a tiny spoonful of applesauce, ready to try this again._

_ "I thought you said yesterday that I couldn't cook," Lily responds, opening her own mouth to see if Alex with follow suit. Inevitably, Alex pouts and refuses to let her mother feed her. _

_ "Well the waffles are already done so all still needs to be done is the bacon and if I remember correctly, you know how to do that," Rufus tells her. _

_ "If you want to try feeding her then fine, I will make the bacon," Lily gets up from the chair stationed in front of Alex's highchair and walks over to Rufus, taking the tongs from him and hands him the baby food. _

_ "Watch and learn Lil," Rufus gives her an arrogant smile, dramatically cracks his knuckles and sits down in front of Alex. Alex smiles at the sight of her father, but when he puts the food in front of her, she instantly closes her mouth. Rufus' eyebrows shoot together as Lily's melodic laughter rings through the kitchen._

_ "See I knew that was going to happen. Don't ever doubt your wife Rufus," Lily mutters while she is flipping the bacon over. _

_ "What food will she actually eat?" Rufus asks her, getting up and going over to the cabinet filled with Gerber baby food jars and extra bottles._

_ "Try the peas and carrots, she liked that the other day," Lily suggests as Serena, Scott, Eric, Dan and Jenny come down the stairs. Rufus grabs the recommended food and walks back over to the highchair._

_ "Hey guys, what are you doing up at the same time?" Rufus asks the kids who slump into various chairs around the dining room table. _

_ "Well with Alex screaming at 8 this morning it was hard to fall back asleep. I think the better question is why are you feeding Alex while Lily is cooking?" Jenny asks her father. _

_ "Don't worry Jenny your father only trusted me with the bacon. There are waffles on the counter if anyone wants some," Lily tells the kids, who rush over to grab themselves a plate. Lily laughs and grabs a waffle for her and Rufus after she puts the bacon on a separate plate. _

_ "Where is the 'here comes the plane?' maybe Alex would actually eat then," Dan says, watching his half sister slowly, begrudgingly, start to take bites._

_ "We Humphreys' don't respond to that cliché Dan. Besides, I already tried it and it didn't work," Rufus tells Dan, making him chuckle._

_ "So how was everyone's night last night? Was the gala fun?" Lily asks and takes a sip of her coffee._

_ "Well, I had a fun night, but one of Blair's minions tried to make out with Scott so I don't think his night was all that enjoyable," Serena says and smiles at her now blushing half-brother._

_ "Was she cute?" Lily asks, watching her son blush even deeper._

_ "She was drunk and had a scary boyfriend so no," Scott tells Lily then grabs his orange juice._

_ "Did you guys get my text about dinner last night?" Rufus asks them as he scrapes the rest of Alex's food out of the jar._

_ "Yeah and we are all free since it is Scott's last night in town," Eric tells his stepfather. _

_ "Good, I made reservations at Babbo at five thirty for Jenny," Lily tells the kids, enjoying the appreciative smile light up her step-daughter's face._

_ "Is Chuck invited?" Serena asks out of curiosity. Lily's eyes meet Rufus', trying to detect his feelings. Ever since Chuck apologized to Rufus on the Fourth of July, their relationship has improved, but Lily didn't want to push it. Lily wants Rufus to want Chuck to be at family functions and they aren't there yet._

_ "I didn't invite him," Lily admits quietly, silently pleading with Rufus to step in._

_ Rufus knows that look on his wife very well, she wants something, but doesn't know how to ask for it. Out of all of their kids, he has the hardest time connecting with Chuck. He can't see Chuck the way Lily sees him. Every time Rufus tried to make some sort of connection with Chuck, he would find out something bad that Chuck did, and it usually was to Jenny. The only reason Rufus forgave him was because Lily asked him to, not because he actually wanted to. However, since then Chuck has made more of an effort to be a part of their family and as long as he continues to behave, Rufus sees no problem in him coming to dinner with them tonight._

_ "I didn't text him, but if he wants to come, it's fine," Rufus tells Lily, relishing in his wife's beautiful smile that stretches across her lips. _

_ "I will call him and see. When you guys are done with breakfast, put your plates in the sink." Lily stands up and walks past her kids, stopping to wrap an arm around her husband._

_ "Thank you," Lily says to him and places a kiss on his lips. _

_ "You're welcome," Rufus brushes a quick peck to her lips before Lily rubs his back and slips away._

_ "So dad, are you really okay with Chuck coming or are you doing that for Lily?" Dan asks while the other kids are in the kitchen. Rufus stands up and unbuckles Alex from the highchair because she is starting to get fussy._

_ "Son, you will learn this when you are married that sometimes you do things you don't want to do in order to make your spouse happy, this is just one of those things." Rufus tells Dan and takes Alex upstairs to get her dressed. _

_ "Hi Charles, how are you?" Lily asks when Chuck picks up the phone._

_ "Lily, I'm fine. What is going on?" Chuck asks. _

_ "Well we are having a family dinner tonight and I was wondering if you wanted to come," Lily proposes. _

_ "I would love to join the Humphreys at a diner in Brooklyn, but I promised I would take Blair out to dinner," Chuck tells his stepmother in his usual sarcastic manner. _

_ "We actually have reservations at Babbo, but that sounds wonderful Charles, I will talk to you later." Lily and Chuck say their goodbyes and they hang up the phone. Lily checks on Alex who is being watched by Scott and Serena in the living room before she goes to the master bedroom._

_ "Hey Lil, what did Chuck say?" Rufus asks while he is getting dressed. Lily walks over to Rufus and fixes his tie for him._

_ "He told Blair that they could go out to dinner tonight so he can't come," Lily says with a hint of sadness. _

_ "Why don't you call Chuck and set up a lunch for the two of you later on this week?" Rufus suggests, not wanting to see his wife upset. Lily perks up and lightly yanks on his tie to kiss him. _

_ "You are full of good ideas recently," Lily mumbles against his lips and kisses him again._

_ "I am going to probably be gone until dinner, I have all of those meetings for the gallery today," Rufus says when they break apart from each other._

_ "Should we wait for you to go to the restaurant?" Lily asks as Rufus pulls his suit coat over his shoulders._

_ "No, I will meet you there," Rufus tells her and tightens his green and black striped tie._

_ "I have to look over some stuff for Bass, but I don't know what to do with Alex," Lily thinks aloud and looks to Rufus for any recommendations._

_ "Why don't you ask the kids to take her somewhere for a few hours, they love watching her," Rufus suggests._

_ "I can't just leave the kids with Alex because we didn't get a babysitter, that isn't fair," Lily tells him and puts her fingers to her forehead. _

_ "I am sure you will figure it out, I have to go," Rufus kisses her goodbye and walks out of their room._

Did he just…brush me aside? _Lily asks herself and furrows her eyebrows as she replays their interaction over in her mind. Rufus has never done that to her before, he has always taken the time to listen to her and help her solve their problems. Lily can't help but feel a little irritated, that is the first time she didn't feel like an equal in her marriage. However, Lily will just write it off as Rufus being concerned about his meetings and will readjust, maybe asking the kids wouldn't be as bad as she thought. _

_ Lily lets out a deep breath and swivels on her heels, deciding to join her kids downstairs in the living room. When she gets to the bottom of the stairs she sees Jenny gripping Alex's fingers, standing her up and trying to make Alex walk._

_ "Jenny, she is barely six months old, she hasn't even learned how to crawl yet," Lily gently admonishes her stepdaughter who sets Alex back on the floor. Lily laughs and sits next to Serena on the couch. _

_ "I am training Alex for the baby Olympics," Jenny jokes as Alex rolls over towards a random toy on the floor. _

_ "Do you girls mind watching Alex for a few hours this afternoon?" Lily asks, hoping that they will say yes._

_ "Sorry mom, but we were going to take Scott on a walking tour of Brooklyn, I don't think Alex will enjoy being in the stroller for that long," Serena explains to Lily, feeling bad when frown forms on her mother's mouth._

_ "I understand, you kids should go get ready pretty soon and have fun," Lily smiles at the girls and scoops Alex off the floor, taking her upstairs for a bath._

_ Lily contemplates calling the nanny that she finally convinced Rufus to hire for emergencies only of course, but it is such short notice that she doesn't bother. She will just put Alex down for a nap so she can get her work done. _

_ Ever since their encounter in their bedroom earlier this morning, Rufus has this gnawing sensation that he didn't leave on the best terms with Lily. He feels bad that he left her all alone with the baby, but she didn't mention that she had work to do today otherwise they could have called the nanny. _

_ Still, Rufus feels like he should do something to make it up to Lily, but what? Usually with Lily, flowers and chocolates are the best bet, but will she appreciate the gesture or think that he is just buying her things so they don't have to talk about this problem? He doesn't know, but he thinks he should do something because he is her husband and he loves her, not because he is afraid that he is trouble._

_ "No Pete, I think Charles was heading in the right direction, but the numbers are off. Maybe we should…" Lily is cut off by the sound of Alex crying. _

_ "Lily? Are you still there?" Pete Holbrook, an elite member of the Bass board asks her. Lily rubs her forehead and is slightly embarrassed that her daughter interrupted their business call. _

_ "Yeah Pete, we are going to have to continue this on a different day. Tell Charles that if he has any questions he can call me. I apologize, but I have to go," Lily says, trying to sound as professional as possible. _

_ "Uh okay…bye Lily," Pete sounds confused as he hangs up the phone. Lily jabs the end call button and rushes upstairs to the nursery. She put Alex down for a nap a half an hour ago so she isn't sure why her daughter is crying. Lily checks Alex's diaper to find it clean, leaving her even more perplexed. Alex is still crying uncontrollably making Lily wonder if she is teething. _

_ Lily rocks Alex unsuccessfully for a few minutes and then decides to go into the kitchen to search for the cold teething ring Rufus placed in there yesterday. _

_ "Here darling," Lily coos to her daughter and presses the teething ring to Alex's mouth. Alex flinches away from it at first, but then adjusts gradually to the change in temperature. While Alex is calming down, Lily takes her upstairs to grab some children's Motrin, hoping that this will alleviate some of her daughter's soreness. Lily administers the correct dosage and places Alex back in her crib, praying that she will sleep more so she can finish the paperwork that Chuck asked her to help with. _

_ It takes longer than usual, but eventually Alex falls back asleep. Lily quietly sneaks back downstairs and returns her call to Pete. _

_ Rufus has a short break before his next meeting so he decides to text Lily to see how she is doing and maybe help his case for later. _

_**Hey sweetheart, just seeing how you are. Love you,**_

_** -R.**_

___Lily says her goodbyes to Pete and hangs up the phone when her iPhone resting on the desk buzzes. She puts down her reading glasses and picks up her phone, sliding it open to read the text from Rufus. Instead of being glad that her husband is checking up on her, she feels annoyed. She knows that he is just trying to make up for leaving so abruptly earlier today. Obviously it doesn't bother her that she was left watching Alex all day, she is her daughter, Lily loves spending every minute with her. It's the way Rufus left this morning that bothered her, like her concerns didn't matter to him, like he just expected her to drop everything she was doing to watch their child. _

_ Lily takes a deep breath and tries not to let her exhaustion and mild frustration talk for her as she is texting back Rufus. _

_**Hey, Alex was a little fussy, but she is fine. I will see you tonight.**_

_** -L.**_

___Rufus shudders slightly as he is reading his wife's text message. He has been with Lily long enough to know her and her anger very well. The fact that she even responded to his message tells him that she isn't furious with him, but she didn't say I love you back which means that she is upset. Rufus was on the fence about buying her flowers and chocolates, yet after Lily's message he is confident that she will forgive him with the gifts and an apology. _

_ An hour later, the kids breeze through the penthouse, their arms full of shopping bags._

_ "Hey kids, I thought you went to Brooklyn," Lily comments after noting the Prada logo on Serena's bag. _

_ "We did, but I got bored so we went shopping," Serena says nonchalantly and sits down on the couch. _

_ "I enjoyed Brooklyn, the little that I saw of it," Scott says, glaring at Jenny and Serena who shrug. _

_ "There is nothing interesting in Brooklyn besides the loft and Rufus' gallery," Eric comments and sits next to Serena. _

_ "You saw Rufus?" Lily asks in curiosity._

_ "No, why?" Jenny asks her stepmother as she sets her Valentino purse on the counter._

_ "No reason, I was just wondering," Lily says weakly. Serena narrows her eyes at her mother, recognizing a hint of annoyance in Lily's face. _

_ "Right, where is Alex?" Serena asks, not buying into her mother's story about Rufus, but she is aware that Lily won't talk about it in front of Eric, Dan, Scott and Jenny. _

_ "She is sleeping for now. She was teething earlier and it woke her up. I think we should just let her sleep for right now," Lily tells the kids._

_ "I am going to the loft to get ready; I forgot to bring my suit here. I should be back in an hour or so," Dan tells Lily. _

_ "I think we should leave about five and your father is going to meet us there," Lily informs her stepson and gives him a kiss on the cheek. Dan leaves and Scott and Jenny go upstairs to start getting ready._

_ "Darling aren't you going to Blair's to get ready? It's almost four," Lily wonders._

_ "I am just interested as to why you and Rufus are fighting," Serena says and crosses her arms. Lily rolls her eyes,_

_ "Serena, we aren't fighting," Lily tells her daughter and crosses her own arms. Serena throws her arms and stands up,_

_ "Fine, if you don't want to tell me, that's fine, but you are right I should go. I will be back at five," Serena kisses Lily on the cheek, grabs her stuff and exits the penthouse. _

_ Lily collapses on the couch and takes a deep breath. She is utterly exhausted from dealing with Rufus, Alex, Bass Industries and Serena. All she wants to do is take a nap and then maybe a bubble bath, but she doesn't have time for that. She still has to get her and Alex ready and make sure they all have a nice family dinner tonight. _

_ Since one of the kids is occupying the shower right now, Lily decides to take a quick twenty minute nap on the couch. She swings her legs on the couch and grabs a pillow, her eyes closing almost immediately. _

_ "Mom…mom…" Eric says and pokes her mother. Lily's eyes flicker open and she sits up, rubbing her eyes briefly._

_ "What?" Lily asks, reaching for her phone, checking the time. _Shit, it's almost four thirty; I didn't want to sleep for that long_, Lily thinks to herself and stands up._

_ "Jenny changed Alex who woke up about ten minutes ago. She didn't know what you wanted Alex to wear tonight, so I think she is just in her diaper still. Scott is getting dressed and the shower is open if you want to jump in," Eric informs his mother. Unfortunately, Lily doesn't have enough time for a shower; she barely has time to get ready herself. Lily hugs Eric in appreciation and heads upstairs._

_ "Thanks Jenny," Lily hugs her stepdaughter who is playing with Alex on the floor. _

_ "No problem Lily, I am going to go get dressed," Jenny excuses herself to Serena's old room that doubles as a guest room. Lily picks Alex up and blows a raspberry on her daughter's stomach, obtaining laughter from Alex. Despite her horrible mood, seeing her daughter smile compels a wide grin to Lily's face. Lily kisses Alex's forehead and brings her over to the closet, trying to decide what the best outfit is for Alex to wear. _

_ "Which one do you like Alex?" Lily asks her daughter who babbles incoherently back at her. Lily chooses a Janie and Jack cream colored dress with white dress shoes. She is hoping that Alex won't spit up on it, but Lily knows the chances are slim to none that the dress will have no stains on it by the end of the evening. _

_ Lily carries Alex into the master bedroom, plopping her in the baby swing so she can get dressed while keeping an eye on her daughter. Lily chooses a maroon, satin, one shouldered Miu Miu dress. She accessorizes with drop down diamond earrings Rufus gave her for their anniversary and YSL silver peep-toe pumps. _

_ By the time Lily is done getting ready, she hears the elevator doors open and muffled chatter stemming from downstairs. She is guessing that Serena and Dan are back from getting ready since it is about five o'clock. _

_ "Come on darling," Lily takes Alex out of the swing and grabs the diaper bag resting on the bed. She carries Alex downstairs and runs into her kids. Jenny is wearing a sheer black long sleeve dress with a royal blue covering starting at her chest. Dan, Scott and Eric have khaki and black pants with matching blazers; however they all aren't wearing ties. Serena has on a violet Diane Von Furstenberg angled dress with rhinestones sprinkling the gown._

_ "You guys look great," Lily comments and puts Alex in the stroller, tucking the diaper bag into the bottom storage compartment. The kids grab their coats from the closet and Serena brings over Lily's. _

_ "Thank you Serena," Lily tells her daughter and accepts her favorite Alice and Olivia pea coat, sliding it over her shoulders. _

_ "I see you are wearing the earrings Rufus gave you for your anniversary," Serena whispers into Lily's ear. Lily flashes Serena a knowing smile and shakes her head, silently telling Serena that she still isn't ready to talk about what happened between her and Rufus earlier. Part of Lily doesn't think Serena will understand why she is upset because her daughter isn't a mother nor is she married. If Lily confides in Serena, her daughter will just tell her that Rufus will apologize which Lily already knows. _

_ "Are you guys ready to go?" Lily asks her kids and they nod. Eric pushes the elevator button and Scott is the first one to step on the elevator. The rest of the kids pile in and Lily waits for the next elevator since she has Alex in the stroller. _

_ They take the car to the restaurant and are told to wait a couple of minutes while their extended table is being set up._

_ Rufus gets done with his meetings around five thirty and decides to stop at Dylan's Candy Bar on the way to the restaurant. As he is walking into the store, Rufus almost slips on a patch of ice, but catches himself. He brushes it off and starts looking around to find his wife's favorite candy. He buys her some chocolate bark and chocolate-covered strawberries. Rufus buys the candy and checks his phone, surprised to see that it is a couple minutes past six. He decides to skip the flowers since he is already running late._

_ "Taxi!" Rufus whistles and holds out his hand. A taxi stops at the curb and Rufus slides into the back passenger side with his bags._

_ "Where would you like to go?" The driver asks and starts the fare. _

_ "Babbo on the west side," Rufus orders and slides open his phone, sending Lily a text to inform her that he is on his way._

_ "Rufus just texted me, he should be here in fifteen minutes," Lily tells the kids and pops a pacifier in Alex's mouth. The kids order their drinks and Lily orders a soda for her and beer for Rufus. _

_ "This traffic is ridiculous, even for New York," The driver comments to Rufus and turns up the volume on the radio. Rufus nods in agreement and looks at the gridlock traffic surrounding them. _

_ The light flips green, and Rufus' taxi starts rolling into the middle of the intersection, while another car is screeching to a stop, but it's too late, the car plows into the driver's side of the taxi. _

_ Thirty minutes pass and Rufus still hasn't arrived at the restaurant. Lily is starting to get really nervous, her husband is rarely late for anything and if he is, there is usually a really good reason. _

_ "There is probably just traffic and the fact that there is ice on the roads doesn't help either," Dan tries to comfort Lily who looks scared. _

_ "I am sure that is it Daniel, I am just going to call him. If Alex starts crying there is food on the outside pocket of the diaper bag," Lily excuses herself from the table and grabs her iPhone from her silver clutch._

_**Hi this is Rufus Humphrey, I am not here right now, but if you leave a message I will be sure to get back to you.**_

___"Hey honey it's me, I know you are coming and it's rush hour, but I would feel a lot better if you called me to let me know you are safe. Please call me back, bye," Lily hangs up the phone and heads to the bathroom to splash cold water on her face. _

_ "Forty one year old male, victim of a MVC, vitals were stable in the field, obvious facial lacerations, but no other apparent injuries," The paramedic reads off as nurses and doctors take control of Rufus' care. _

_ "Where is his file?" A nurse calls out while a doctor checks Rufus' pupil response. The paramedic gives the nurse Rufus' chart and steps out of the way._

_ "He is going to need an urgent CT scan, we should get his emergency contact in here to sign consent forms," The doctor tells the nurse wielding the chart. The nurse steps out of the room and starts flipping through Rufus' information._

_ Forty five minutes have gone by without Rufus showing up. The kids are munching on their food, each one picking their heads up every time they hear a man's voice. Lily keeps checking her phone for calls or texts from her husband, figuring that if something went wrong he would try to contact her first._

_ "Have any of you heard from Rufus?" Lily asks, although she realizes that the chances are they haven't._

_ "No, sorry mom," Eric says as the other kids shake their heads as well. Lily's phone buzzes on the table and she pounces on it, not even bothering to check to see if it's Rufus or not._

_ "Hello?" Lily asks, plugging one of her ears to be able to hear the person on the other end._

_ "Hello is this Mrs. Humphrey?" The caller asks Lily. Lily feels her heart sink; there generally isn't a good reason as to why someone is asking._

_ "Yes this is whose calling?" Lily asks as Serena puts an arm on her shoulder._

_ "This is Nurse Clarkson at Lennox Hill; your husband was brought in earlier. He was involved in a traffic accident and we need you to sign consent forms. Are you able to come here?" The nurse asks Lily. Lily puts the hand that was in her ear over her mouth, not believing what is happening._

_ "Oh my god, yes, I will be right there. Thank you for calling," Lily hangs up the phone without saying goodbye and reaches into her clutch to take out some money._

_ "We need to go now," Lily tells the kids and drops two hundred dollars on the table. The kids immediately grab their coats and Lily unlocks the stroller while she puts on her own jacket. _

_ The kids are clueless as to what is going on, but based on the heightened worry lines on Lily's face it can't be good. _

_ "Should we call the car?" Serena asks and tightens the belt on her Burberry jacket. _

_ "No, I don't have time to wait. Lennox Hill called…" Lily swallows a lump of tears in her throat, now is not the time to fall apart, she has to remain strong for her kids, "Rufus was involved in an accident." All of the kids', except for Alex of course, eyes widen in fear. _

_ "How bad is it?" Scott asks, being the first to regain his voice._

_ "I don't know, but we need to get there. Why don't a few of you take a cab and I will meet you there." Lily calls a taxi over and Jenny, Eric, Scott, and Dan climb in. Serena elects to stay behind with Lily to help her get Alex into a cab._

_ "Over here mom," Serena waves her over to an awaiting cab. Lily takes out the baby carrier with a sleeping Alex inside and hands it over to Serena while the cab driver helps her fold up the stroller to toss in the trunk. Serena puts Alex in between her and Lily, deciding that the best option that they have is to just hold the baby carrier. Lily opens the door on the other side and instructs the driver to take them to Lennox Hill. _

_ "How can you be so calm?" Serena asks as they are driving to the hospital. Lily tilts her head towards her daughter with a perplexed expression. _

"_I am not, but I need to make sure you kids are okay first before I worry about myself," Lily answers Serena and glances at Alex, brushing a piece of lint off of her nose._

"_I don't understand," Serena tells Lily, narrowing her eyes in confusion._

"_You will when you have kids. Everything I have ever done is for you guys and someday you will realize that," Lily tells Serena, offering her a fake smile. The truth is Lily is dying inside. She has no idea what is going on with her husband, how bad the accident was and what the damages are. Hopefully Rufus will be fine, just a little banged up and the consent forms are just a formality. A big part of her knows that she is lying to herself, but for now she is just going to keep doing it until the truth about Rufus' condition is known. _

_When the cab drops them off at the hospital, Lily gives the driver the fare plus an extra tip and climbs out of the car, sliding the baby carrier over to the edge so she can pick it up. Serena gestures for Dan to help her with the stroller, setting it up for Lily who is very grateful. Lily interlocks the carrier into the stroller and pushes it through the automatic doors, meeting Jenny, Scott and Eric inside._

"_Have you guys found him yet?" Lily asks._

"_No, we were going to wait for you," Jenny tells Lily, sounding close to tears. Lily nods and leads the kids to the receptionist._

"_Hi, how can I help you?" The receptionist asks Lily._

"_We are looking for Rufus Humphrey, I think he was brought here about a half an hour ago," Lily tells the blonde who is typing on her computer._

"_He is in radiology right now getting a CT, but you can wait in the waiting area on the second floor. Take the elevators that are around the corner." Lily thanks the receptionist, heading towards the elevators with the kids in tow._

_They pile onto an awaiting elevator and Eric presses the number two button. When they step off of the elevator, they are led to a typical waiting room by a nurse who promises a doctor will see them soon._

So they are left waiting, the part Lily hates the worst. It has been a draining twenty four hours, from putting Alex to bed last night, sex, sleep, breakfast with the kids, her mini-fight with Rufus, Alex teething, getting ready for dinner, going to dinner and then getting the phone call, landing them here. Sadly, her day isn't over yet, not even close. All she wants to know is how her husband is doing. Hopefully he is fine, but if he isn't, she can deal with it. She just wants to _know_

An hour passes by without anyone coming to give them an update_. _Alex wakes up, demanding Lily's attention. Lily checks her daughter's diaper and unlocks the stroller.

"I am going to go change her, call me if anything changes," Lily tells her kids and transfers her iPhone from her clutch to the diaper bag. The kids wordlessly nod, sending Lily off in search for a bathroom.

Lily quickly changes Alex who is blissfully unaware of what is going on with her father. Lily wishes she had that because she doesn't know how much longer she can put up a brave front for. Alex babbles on and reaches for her mother's necklace dangling inches from her and yanks on it. Lily cracks a tiny smile and uncoils her daughter's fingers from the jewelry, causing Alex to frown. Lily's phone resting on the changing table next to Alex vibrates, making Alex's eyes dance with wonder.

"Hey Jenny, what's going on?" Lily asks when she picks up the phone.

"There is a doctor wanting to talk to you," Jenny says, her throat constricting with tears.

"Okay, tell them I will be there in a second," Lily ends the phone call and frantically gets Alex redressed. She wheels the stroller out of the bathroom and back to where the kids are surrounding a doctor. Lily parks the stroller by her kids' coats and takes Alex out of the stroller. She walks over to the doctor and introduces herself.

"Hello Mrs. Humphrey, I am Dr. Fischer, the doctor in charge of your husband's case," The fair-haired doctor says, extending his hand for Lily to shake.

"Hi, how is my husband doing?" Lily asks as she grasps the doctor's hand.

"We gave your husband a CT and found that he had a mild concussion which is a common injury in a lot of car accidents. He is awake and responsive, but he doesn't remember a large chuck of today, which, again is normal. I want to watch him overnight in case, but he should be fine. I just have some forms that you need to sign and then you guys can see him," Dr. Fischer tells Lily and the kids who all let out a sigh of relief. Lily passes Alex over to Scott in order to sign the papers. Lily walks over to the nurses' station and scribbles her signature on a few papers while the kids keep Alex busy.

"Oh, your husband is in room 221 when you are ready to see him," Dr. Fischer from behind the nurses' station.

"Thank you," Lily smiles at him and rejoins her kids who look eager to go see Rufus.

"Go, he is room 221," Lily tells her kids and Scott gives her back Alex. Jenny, Dan, and Scott rush to Rufus' room while Eric and Serena hang back.

"Are you okay mom?" Eric asks with concern. Lily gives him a closed lipped smile and puts her free hand on his cheek.

"I am fine darling, thanks for asking. Why don't you guys go see Rufus?" Lily asks.

"We didn't want to leave you alone," Eric says softly, almost as if he is embarrassed to say it. Lily caresses her son's cheek, she is so lucky to have him as a son and Serena as a daughter. They can be incredibly selfish and hard to handle sometimes, but they are great kids.

"Here," Jenny points to the numbered sign on the door and knocks softly. Rufus waves them in with a smile, although he is disappointed that Lily isn't there. Is she that mad at him that she won't even see him? Is she even here?

"Hey kids," Rufus says and hugs each one of them, noticing that Eric, Serena and Alex aren't here either.

"Don't worry dad, Lily is in the lobby," Dan says when he sees the bemused expression on his father's face. Rufus nods in understanding and takes a sip of water.

"So how was dinner?" Rufus asks, drawing laughter from Jenny, Scott and Dan.

"The steak was overpriced and undercooked," Dan comments. Rufus rolls his eyes and keeps looking at the door, hoping Lily will come in. This doesn't go overlooked by Scott and Jenny who gesture to Dan that they should leave. Dan gets the hint and they bid Rufus goodbye.

"Lily, Rufus wants to see you," Scott tells Lily when they get back to the waiting area.

"Okay, can you guys watch Alex?" Lily asks the kids and she passes Alex over to Serena. Lily turns on her heels and practically runs to her husband's room, stopping at the threshold. Rufus has his eyes closed, scrapes marring his face, cords monitoring his heart rate slithering out of chest.

Lily's eyes fill with tears; she has been keeping herself together for so long and now, seeing her husband like this, is too much. She covers a sob with her hand, leaning against the doorframe. Rufus' eyes pop open to see tears sliding down his wife's cheeks.

"Baby, come here," Rufus tells her, as he slides over in bed and pats the empty space next to him. Lily wipes her eyes and takes her heels off before climbing into bed with Rufus.

"I am so glad that you are okay, I knew something was wrong when you were late to dinner," Lily says and kisses Rufus lightly on the corner of his mouth. Rufus gives her a lop-sided smile and brushes some mascara off her cheek.

"I don't really remember much about today, but I do remember leaving you with Alex without helping you. I am sorry," Rufus apologizes. Lily scoots closer to him to lay her head down on his chest carefully, trying to avoid the wires.

"You are already forgiven; just don't take off like that again okay?" Lily asks him, feeling Rufus nod against her head. After a few moments of silence, Rufus leans down and presses a kiss to her hair.

"You do realize this is payback for that time you hit your head right?" Rufus asks. Lily smiles and shakes her head.

"Are we even now? Or is it my turn to scare you half to death?" Lily asks him teasingly, causing Rufus' chest to quiver with laughter.

"I think we should stop making each other come here."

"I agree," Lily rolls slightly to tousle his hair, before pulling him in for a kiss.

"What did the doctor say?" Rufus asks when they break apart from each other.

"He said that you have a mild concussion and have to stay overnight. I would stay with you, but Alex…" Lily trails off when Rufus puts his finger to her lips.

"Don't feel bad Lil, I know you would stay if you could, but our daughter needs you more than me right now. Can you bring her in?" Rufus asks. Lily gets out of his bed and puts her heels back on.

"I will be right back," Lily gives him a peck on the lips and leaves the room, closing the door behind her. When she gets back to the kids, they are looking more relaxed.

"He's fine right?" Serena asks while she is bouncing Alex up and down in her arms.

"Yes, but he has to stay overnight like the doctor said. You guys are welcome to go back to the penthouse if you want, but I am going to take Alex to see Rufus." Lily accepts Alex from Serena and grabs the stroller.

"I think I am going to head back, there is no real reason to stay in the waiting room anymore. I will see you at home," Serena says, reaching for her coat on an empty chair. The rest of the kids agree and give Lily hugs goodbye.

"Let's go see your dad Alex," Lily tells her daughter and wheels the stroller back towards Rufus' room.

**A/N 2: Whew, that is all for now! Next chapter is Alex's first birthday and probably Rufus and Lily's biggest fight yet. Sorry, I just need to shake things up a little bit! Thanks for reading and please leave a review on your way out. **


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Thank you so much for all your kind reviews, I am sure you guys are getting tired of me saying this. Only a few chapters left, but don't leave just yet! This chapter is officially rated M just so I don't get in trouble. Enjoy!**

**Chapter Twenty Three**

"Come on Alex, get the bear!" Rufus encourages and holds out a white teddy bear a few inches away from his daughter. Alex is already on her feet, swaying a little bit. She takes a step forward and falls down, disappointment washing over her cherub face.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lily sees Alex fall, and she half expects her daughter to burst into tears. Lily hangs up the phone and sits down behind Alex, preemptively getting ready to coddle her if need be. Alex juts her lower lip out in a pout and turns to her mother.

"Mama," Alex mutters and crawls toward Lily. Lily breaks out in a wide grin, never getting tired of hearing that from her youngest child.

"Hi Alex, let's try this again," Lily picks Alex up and turns her around on her feet, giving her a light push towards Rufus.

"Come here Alex," Rufus calls, patting the carpeting in between his legs. Alex shoots a toothy grin toward her father and attempts to walk toward him, but her feet give out on her.

"Okay maybe we should try a different day," Rufus concludes and extends his arms to pick Alex off the floor.

"I agree she is just turning one today after all. Some kids need a little more time," Lily says with a sad grin on her face.

Lily can't believe it's been a year since she gave birth to Alex. Her daughter still maintains Lily's blonde tendrils and Rufus' hazel eyes, but her face is starting to look more like Lily's every day. Alex can speak only a handful of words, having mastered mama and dada already. Luckily, Alex's first word was "no" which made Rufus and Lily relieved that they didn't have to feel bad because she said the other parent's name first.

"Lil?" Rufus asks, breaking Lily out of her reflection.

"Huh? Sorry Rufus, I missed what you said." Rufus gives his wife a smile, recognizing the nostalgic look on Lily's face.

"I was just wondering how everything is coming together for the party tomorrow," Rufus inquires while bouncing Alex in his lap. Alex giggles and reaches to touch Rufus' stubble, the tactile sensation exciting her.

"Good, I am pleased that you agreed to have a big party tomorrow," Lily says and scoots closer to her husband and daughter.

"I am glad that we could find a compromise, we are getting really good at that," Rufus jokes and wraps an arm around Lily's shoulders, pressing her flush against him.

"Yes we are. I think a small party with just the kids tonight is perfect. Especially since today is Alex's actual birthday," Lily says while raking her fingers through Rufus' hair.

"What time are the kids coming?" Rufus asks and lets Alex out of his lap so she can crawl around the living room.

"A little less than an hour I would guess," Lily slides her iPhone out of the pocket of her ivory Burberry t-shirt dress. Rufus starts kissing her cheek and moves his lips toward her ear.

"We should go upstairs," Rufus whispers and nips at her ear before pulling away. Lily twists her head to look at him,

"I want to but, I am not going to leave our daughter unattended to have sex with you. Besides, we don't have time for that." Rufus scowls and removes his lips from her soft skin. As much as he doesn't want to admit it, she is right, they don't have enough time and he doesn't want any of the kids interrupting.

"I guess you are right," Rufus confesses, his tone feigning sadness. Lily smiles and shakes her head.

"Later, I promise," Lily gives him a chaste kiss and stands up, walking over to hover over Alex.

"I am going to hold you to that," Rufus promises her and gets to his feet as well. Lily nods and picks Alex up, lightly tossing her above her head. Alex smiles and then spits up over Lily's cheek and dress. Rufus goes to the kitchen to get his wife a napkin all the while trying to hold in his laughter. Lily takes the proffered towel appreciatively and gives Alex to Rufus so she can wipe the puke off of her face.

"I guess I have to go change my dress," Lily mumbles and excuses herself upstairs. Rufus does a once over of Alex, surprised to see not a drop of spit up on her.

"Well at least I don't have to change you," Rufus tells his daughter and tickles her cheek.

About forty five minutes later, Serena, Eric, Dan and Jenny come bursting into the penthouse with presents in their arms.

"Hey mom, where do you want these?" Serena asks, holding out a pink gift bag. Lily looks around the penthouse while tapping her chin,

"Uh, how about on the coffee table in the living room," Lily questions and points to the aforementioned piece of furniture, stepping over Alex who is busy crawling around on the floor. The kids drop off the presents and Jenny scoops up Alex, sitting next to Eric on the couch.

"Has Alex walked yet?" Eric asks out of curiosity. Lily grabs two glasses of red wine and hands one to Serena before sitting in one of the chairs across from the couch.

"Not yet, she takes a step and then falls over," Lily tells her son and takes a sip of her wine.

"Are Chuck and Scott coming?" Dan asks.

"Scott is spending the fourth of July with his adoptive parents in Cape Cod and will be here tomorrow. I have no clue where Charles is," Lily tells her stepson.

"I'll find him on Gossip Girl," Serena declares and whips out her phone. Lily shrugs and makes small talk with Dan and Jenny. Rufus comes into the living room to tell everyone that dinner is ready. Jenny takes Alex into the dining room first to strap her into the highchair while Eric and Dan help Rufus bring the food in. Lily and Serena sit down in their normal spots to wait for everyone else.

"Oh, according to the Gossip Girl Spotted map, Chuck and Nate are at a bar on Lexington," Serena informs Lily and turns off her iPhone, setting it next to her on the table.

"Ah, well I am sure he is coming to the party tomorrow," Lily comments and takes a bite of bolognaise.

After dinner, Lily brings out Alex's cake. She cuts off a tiny piece for Alex to have and starts searching for a candle.

"Darling, where are the candles?" Lily asks Rufus.

"I'll get them," Rufus goes into the kitchen and starts rifling through the drawers. Rufus comes back and puts a single candle in the middle of the cake. Eric lights the candle and everyone starts singing. Alex is clapping her hands and is staring at the candle flame with wonder.

"Blow out the candles Alex," Serena encourages and shows her half sister how to do it. Alex ignores Serena and reaches out to touch the flame before anyone can stop her. Alex bursts into tears and Lily takes her out of the highchair to console her daughter.

"Well that went well," Dan comments sarcastically and starts cutting other pieces of cake.

"Yeah, maybe that wasn't the best idea," Rufus says and takes the candle out of Alex's piece of cake. Lily rubs circles on Alex's back until she her cries diminish to tiny whimpers.

"Do you want some cake sweetie?" Lily asks Alex and places her back in the high chair. Rufus grabs a bib and wraps it around Alex's neck in an attempt to minimize the damage to her Hanna Anderson plum velvet dress. Alex takes as much cake as she can into her hands and shoves it in her face. Serena and Jenny grab their phones, wanting to snap a few pictures of Alex. Lily walks over to Rufus, kisses him on the cheek and then sits down to enjoy her very tiny piece of cake.

Rufus gets Alex cleaned up while Lily and the older kids are in the living room.

"Have at it Alex," Rufus sets Alex in front of her presents. Alex reaches out to touch a shiny silver gift bag and tips it over.

"I think we are going to have to help her," Jenny comments and picks up Alex and her present. At this age, Alex is more interested in the tissue paper and bubble wrap used for the presents than the presents themselves. Lily thanks the kids for what they got their sister mostly consisting of clothes and toys. Lily and Rufus give Alex their present which is a set of wooden blocks from FAO Swartz. Alex plays with her new toys while Dan challenges everyone to a game of Scrabble.

Dan wins, of course, and Serena goes to Blair's while Dan, Eric and Jenny go to the loft in Brooklyn.

"I think Alex is ready to go to sleep," Lily tells Rufus and casts a glance at their daughter who has fallen asleep in the living room against the giant lion Serena got her. Rufus nods in agreement and walks over to Alex. He picks Alex up and she automatically buries her head in Rufus' chest. Lily kisses Alex goodnight and starts cleaning up the tissue paper strewn across the living room while Rufus puts Alex to bed.

Rufus comes back downstairs and coils his arm around Lily's waist from behind.

"Would you like to come upstairs with me?" Rufus mumbles in her ear. Lily turns in his arms and nods. Rufus picks her up in one swoop. Lily gasps in shock and wraps her arms around her husband's neck. Rufus bolts up the stairs and drops her on their bed. He lightly climbs on top of her and starts kissing her neck.

"Oh…" Lily moans and arches her body towards her husband.

"Now that Alex is one, I think we should try for another," Rufus whispers in her ear and gives her a radiant smile. Lily kisses him and rolls over so she is on top.

"Wait Rufus, I want to talk about this first," Lily says as Rufus is reaching around to locate the zipper of her dress. Rufus stops what he is doing and drops his hands.

"Okay, what's going on?" Rufus asks, noticing the shift in Lily's mood.

"I thought a lot about this over the past year and I don't think we should try to have another baby," Lily tells him and bites her lip in anticipation. Rufus sighs, frustration flickering across his facial features.

"Why Lil?" Rufus asks, trying to keep the disappointment out of his voice. Lily leans down to kiss the corner of his mouth,

"I love you and I am happy that we had the chance to have a baby together from the start, but Alex's pregnancy was really hard for me. If I happen to get pregnant than great, but I don't think we should be attempting to have another child," Lily explains and diverts her eyes away from her husband's. Rufus uses the pad of his thumb to tilt her head so she is looking back at him.

"Hey Lil, it's okay, I completely understand. We have enough kids and if Alex is going to be anything like you when she is older, we are going to have our hands full," Rufus assures her, but Lily isn't fully convinced.

"You don't resent me for this?" Lily asks him, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"Of course not, I am glad that you are being honest with me," Rufus says and reaches up to kiss her. Lily gives a sigh of relief in Rufus' mouth. She knew this conversation was coming and is thrilled that Rufus took this so well.

"I am going to ask you one more time and then I will drop it. Are you absolutely positive that you are okay with me not wanting to try for another baby?" Lily asks him, looking for any signs of deception.

"I will admit to being a little sad because I loved going through the whole experience with you. However, we have seven kids between the two of us so I can't feel too bad," Rufus tells her honestly.

"We could always get a dog," Lily suggests nonchalantly. Rufus gives her a doubtful look,

"Lily Humphrey wants a dog? I don't believe it." Lily chews on her bottom lip,

"Okay maybe a goldfish." Rufus laughs and caresses her cheek. Lily bends over to mesh her lips with his.

"Can still have sex though?" Rufus asks when they separate.

"Of course Rufus, I wouldn't dare deny you sex," Lily mutters, her warm breath spilling onto his shoulder. A mischievous grin breaks out and Rufus winks at her.

"Let's have sex in the shower!" Rufus exclaims. Lily grins at his childlike enthusiasm and climbs off the bed. Lily pulls Rufus off the bed and he loosely wraps an arm around her as they walk to the bathroom.

"Turn around," Rufus orders, his breath already starting to quicken. Lily gives him a lopsided smile and takes off her Valentino heels, tossing them near the bathroom sink before spinning around, facing the shower. Rufus sweeps her blonde hair to the side, plants a kiss on the nape of her neck and slowly unzips her Alice and Olivia black and white chevron patterned dress. Lily shivers as more of her skin is being exposed to the chilly air. Her dress cascades to the floor, leaving her clad only in black panties.

"Oops, I seem to have forgotten my bra when I went to redress," Lily says sweetly and turns around to start unbuttoning Rufus' slate gray Salvatore Ferragamo dress shirt. Rufus collapses his lips onto hers while slipping off her underwear, catching her off guard. Lily moans into his mouth and throws his shirt by her shoes. Lily then bends down to unbuckle his belt, yanking his pants and boxers off in one swoop.

Rufus backs her into the shower, their lips never breaking contact. Lily starts the shower and adjusts to the appropriate temperature. Rufus breaks out the body wash, slowly lathering Lily with it, spending extra time on her breasts.

"Hmm…" Lily hums and tips her head back while Rufus works his way down her body.

"Your turn," Rufus says to her, squeezing a dollop of body wash into her hands before returning it to a shelf on the shower. Lily gives a closed lip smile and starts washing his chest. Rufus cups her cheek and brings her lips in for a quick kiss.

"Wait" Lily murmurs, pushing him away to start stroking his penis starting at the base and working her way to the tip. Rufus moans loudly and bites on the inside of his cheek as Lily picks up speed.

Rufus leans into her touch and soon pins her up against the shower wall, trapping her with both of his hands resting on either side of her head. Lily entwines their lips then breaks them apart with a loud smack echoing through the shower walls. Rufus gives her a cheeky grin as he sweeps a matted tendril away from her eye.

Lily responds by wrapping her left leg around Rufus' waist, pressing him as close as she can. Rufus kisses her forehead while he inserts his middle and index finger inside of her, stroking her folds.

"Ahh…" Lily sighs and closes her eyes, arching her body towards his. Rufus seizes the opportunity to withdraw his fingers from inside of her. Lily licks her lips, her eyes flickering open in dismay. Without preamble, Rufus enters her causing Lily to whimper quietly.

Rufus picks her up off the shower floor, being careful to maintain their balance. Lily twines both of her legs around his back as Rufus slams her against the tiling.

"Harder," Lily commands, tipping her head down to scrape her teeth along his collarbone. Rufus picks up the pace as Lily's fingers disappear in his slick hair. Lily uses the wall to arch her head back, each of Rufus' thrusts are bringing her closer and closer to her undoing.

"Lil…baby…" Rufus sucks on a patch of flesh between her breasts, leaving his mark on her. Lily squeals at her husband's teeth clamping down on her skin as he continues his rather rough thrusts.

"Rufus!" Lily screams as she feels herself unraveling, her eyelids fluttering closed as she is riding out her orgasm. Rufus continues to move inside of her until he finds his own release.

"Lil..." Rufus mumbles and conceals his head in her neck. Lily withers against him and gives one final sigh, indicating that her orgasmic high is coming to an end. Rufus pulls out of her and eases her to the floor. Lily kisses him on the cheek and swivels on the balls of her feet, turning off the shower. Rufus pushes back the shower curtain, letting the steam engulf them while he tries to find them some towels.

"Thank you," Lily mumbles as her husband swaddles her in a towel. Rufus rubs her shoulders over the fabric before wrapping another towel around his waist. Alex's crying interrupts their drying off process. Lily freezes and shoots a pleading look at Rufus.

"I'll get her," Rufus reaches over Lily's head to grab his robe off the hanger. Lily holds out her hand to bring his lips to hers.

"Thank you," Lily mutters against his lips.

"You get the next one," Rufus tells her, breaking away to open the bathroom door, letting the outside air seep in. Lily grabs her robe and slips it on, cinching the belt around her torso. Lily steps out of the bathroom to find her hair brush placed on the vanity, smiling as she hears Rufus, via the baby monitor, comforting their daughter.

Ten minutes later, Rufus reenters the master bedroom, spotting Lily arranging the part in her hair.

"Is she okay?" Lily asks with concern. Rufus drapes his arms loosely around her shoulders, getting a waft of Lily's lilac scented shampoo.

"Yeah, just a dirty diaper," Rufus says to pacify her. Lily sets her brush down on the vanity and pulls Rufus' arms away so she can stand up. Lily snags his hand, pulling him towards their bed.

The next morning, Lily and Rufus are moving around Alex in order to clean up their breakfast. The elevator doors ding open and Lily stops halfway to the sink.

"Is that Chanel number five?" Lily asks Rufus, who gives her a confused look.

"Mixed with a little gin," CeCe says as she is rolling her suitcase in. Rufus' eyes widen, recognizing his mother-in-laws voice. CeCe leaves her suitcase by the couch and walks over, giving Lily a kiss on the cheek.

"Hello Rufus," CeCe tells him and moves over, brushing a kiss to his cheek as well.

"CeCe, how nice to see you," Rufus says, although he really doesn't mean it. Lily bites back a smile and unbuckles Alex from her high chair, handing her over to her mother.

"Why, Lily, she looks a lot like you," CeCe observes, running her finger along Alex's porcelain cheek. Rufus places his dish in the sink and materializes behind his wife, placing a hand on the small of her back.

"Yes she does, even acts like me sometimes too," Lily says with a grin. CeCe sits down on a chair, placing Alex in her lap.

"So, Rufus are you excited for this party?" CeCe asks, wanting to get her son-in-law's opinion. Rufus sighs and squeezes Lily's shoulder.

"I like the quiet birthday party for Alex that we had last night better," Rufus admits.

"This was our compromise. Rufus would indulge me with a bigger party if we had a smaller one on Alex's actual birthday. It was nice; the majority of the kids came. Oh, that reminds me, I have to call the caterer back about something for the party today," Lily swipes her iPhone off the counter and walks into the living room. Rufus gives CeCe a nervous smile; he hates it when Lily leaves him alone with her. Usually this is the time that CeCe asks him uncomfortable questions in an attempt to undercut his relationship with Lily.

"I am surprised that you are being so understanding with my daughter," CeCe comments as Alex is trying to munch on her diamond bracelet.

"Well I have known your daughter long enough to know that this is what she wants," Rufus answers simply, hoping that he isn't going to fall into another one of CeCe's traps. CeCe seems oddly disheartened by Rufus' response and hands Alex back to him.

"I am going to unpack and freshen up a bit before we go to pick up Scott. Which room should I take?" CeCe asks.

"I think Serena's room would be the best," Rufus says with a shrug. CeCe nods and rolls her suitcase into the empty bedroom, closing the door behind her.

"Scott!" Rufus yells with a wave, as he sees his son step off the train at Grand Central Station. Scott smiles at his family and rushes over to greet them.

"Hey Scott," Lily says and takes her hands off of the stroller to hug her son.

"Hey Lily," Scott mutters and breaks their hug. He shoots CeCe a smile, not feeling comfortable to hug her yet because he has only met her a few times. CeCe kisses Scott on the cheek and steps back.

"Do you have everything?" Rufus asks, looking at Scott's orange duffel bag.

"Yeah, this is all I brought," Scott tells his father. Lily starts pushing the stroller towards the exit, prompting Rufus, Scott and CeCe to follow her. They climb into the car and head back to the penthouse.

"You can have Eric's room," Rufus informs her son when they step off the elevator of the penthouse. Scott goes up the stairs to drop off his luggage.

"I am going to put Alex down so she can sleep a little before the party," Lily tells Rufus and trails behind Scott. Lily changes Alex's diaper and places her gently in the crib, making sure her daughter's favorite lamb is within reach. Her iPhone buzzes against her thigh, making her to take it out of her blue tweed Chanel skirt. She looks at the number in confusion, wondering why Bart's old PI, Andrew Tyler, is calling her. Lily steps out of the nursery and into Rufus' office to answer the call.

"Hi Andrew, can I help you with something?" Lily asks, hearing Andrew sigh heavily on the other end is unsettling to her.

"Hi Lily, I wish I was calling with better news." Lily tilts her head in confusion, not liking the sound of their conversation.

"Andrew what is it?"

"I am working on a case and I learned through one of my contacts about a reporter shopping around a potential story dealing with Serena. I thought you should know since she is your daughter."

"What about Serena?" Lily asks nervously, mentally preparing herself for the worst.

"Apparently the story is about how Serena slept with Colin Forrester in order to be admitted into Columbia." Lily's jaw drops, she knew Serena getting involved with a professor would come back to haunt her. However, Lily knows that the story the reporter is trying to sell is completely false, but it doesn't matter.

"Okay, well the story isn't true first of all, but obviously the reporter won't care. I am guessing that this person wants money?"

"I don't know exactly what the reporter is asking for, but I will find out. Stay by the phone and I will call you back as soon as I hear something. I am sorry Lily," Andrew says sincerely.

"Thank you Andrew for coming to me with this, we will talk soon I am sure," Lily tells the private investigator and hangs up the phone. She closes her eyes and bends over, rubbing her fingers on her forehead.

"Darling, Rufus…" CeCe breaks off, seeing the distress on her daughter's face.

"Rufus what mother?" Lily asks, bringing her hand down to put her fist under her chin and her elbow on her thigh.

"He wanted to know where you were. What's wrong?" CeCe asks half out of worry and the other out of curiosity.

"Nothing, I should go find Rufus," Lily stands up and smoothes down her skirt.

"Lily, whatever it is I am sure that I can help you," CeCe assures Lily. Lily purses her lips, mulling over CeCe's offer. She really should be speaking to Rufus about this, but her mother does have more expertise in this area, maybe telling her wouldn't hurt.

"I got a call from Andrew Tyler, Bart's old private investigator. Apparently some reporter is threatening to go public with a completely ridiculous story about Serena unless we pay him," Lily informs her mother.

"How much is he asking for to keep quiet?" CeCe asks. Lily sighs; of course her mother would ask that question.

"I don't know Andrew is going to call me back with a number when he gets it."

"Don't worry dear, we can handle this quietly, no one will ever find out," CeCe puts a reassuring hand on Lily's arm.

"I should really talk to Rufus about this," Lily says and starts to leave, but CeCe stops her.

"How do you think that conversation is going to go Lily? Do you think he is going to be in favor of you paying someone off?" Lily glides her tongue across her teeth, taking a minute to think this whole situation over.

"I guess you are right, but what do we do? I have done enough lying to my husband in our marriage; I don't want to keep this from him."

"For now Lily, the best thing you can do let this stay between us. Eventually, you should tell him, but not yet." Lily scratches her temple and soaks in her mother's advice. She knows from their history that Rufus would be opposed to paying someone off, but Lily will do anything to protect her children even if it means withholding something from her husband for the time being. After the party, Lily will tell him the situation and hopefully he will take it in stride. A huge part of Lily doubts it, but by then it will be too late, she will have already taken care of it.

"Okay, I won't tell him. I am going to go change before the caterers get here," Lily leaves CeCe alone in Rufus' office while she goes to the master bedroom.

Lily roughly grabs the navy floral Rag and Bone dress off its hanger and changes into it, all the while resisting the urge to go downstairs and tell Rufus what is going on. She wants to, she really does, but she knows that CeCe is right. Lily would rather deal with this reporter privately than have him leak a story in the media no matter how false it is.

"Hey Lil?" Rufus asks, poking his head into the walk-in closet. Lily zips up her dress and turns to face him, forcing a smile onto her face.

"What's up Rufus?" Lily asks, walking over to him. Rufus reaches around to encompass her waist, pecking her on the lips.

"Jenny, Serena, Dan and Eric are here and I thought you wanted to know."

"Oh right, thank you," Lily glides her hands down from his shoulders so they are in the crooks of his arms.

"Are you okay? You seem a little distracted to me," Rufus' previously upbeat expression is marred with worry. _This is your chance Lily, tell him now! _Her brain shouts at her, but Lily can't do it.

"I am fine, with my mother being here it stresses me out," Lily lies and despises herself for it. The crooked smile that forms on Rufus' mouth breaks her heart, she silently berates herself for being so much like CeCe, something she hates hearing from other people, but it doesn't make it any less true.

"I agree with you, but at least she is leaving tomorrow. Come on, let's go say hi to our kids," Rufus gently pushes her out of their room, keeping a firm grip on her waist while they walk downstairs to hug and kiss each of their kids. CeCe comes down a few minutes later and says hi to her step and biological grandkids.

"Hey grandma, nice to see you," Serena says and hugs her grandmother. CeCe shoots Lily a look over Serena's shoulder, saying that they need to talk.

"I am going to go check on Alex, she should be up soon," Lily excuses herself and heads upstairs.

"Grandma, come sit," Eric says and sits down on the couch, joining Dan and Scott who are in the middle of a conversation.

"I will be right back," CeCe tells Eric and goes upstairs where Lily is in the nursery, busy with changing Alex.

"Did you talk to Rufus?" CeCe asks, handing Lily the cream colored dress resting on the closet handle.

"If you are asking if I told him the answer is no," Lily says with her back turned.

"Do you remember what I told you when you were worried about hiding your apparent cancer from Rufus?" Lily rotates her head to glare at her mother,

"We all saw how well that turned out; it almost broke apart my marriage mother."

"That was more William's fault than anything. Do you recall how you broke down crying every night when you hung up the phone with Rufus because you didn't tell him about your illness?" Lily nods with a frown,

"Yes I do, but you convinced me that I was doing what was best for him by not telling him," Lily lifts Alex up from the diaper changing station and onto her shoulder, taking a few steps toward CeCe.

"Exactly, this is the same thing only this time you will tell him before your ex-husband shows up," CeCe jokes, but it falls flat.

"Somehow I don't think this is qualifies as an identical situation," Lily tells CeCe and tries to make Alex smile so she will too. Lily's phone resting on the changing table buzzes, making her plop Alex into CeCe's arms so she can answer the phone.

"Hi Andrew, do you have any news for me?" Lily asks, crossing her fingers that the reporter backed down although it is very unlikely.

"Yes, the reporter wants fifty thousand dollars and in exchange he will burn all of the evidence he has on the story," Lily inwardly scoffs; there is no evidence to back up the reporter's accusation.

"How much time do I have to decide?"

"He put a clock on it; you have to make your mind up by tomorrow. If you decide to pay him, I will give you his banking information so you can transfer the money. I am sorry this is happening Lily, but you need to make a decision."

"I understand, thank you Andrew for all of your help," Lily hangs up the phone and puts it back where it was.

"What did Andrew say?" CeCe asks, bouncing Alex in her arms.

"The reporter wants fifty thousand by tomorrow or he is going to publish what he has on Serena," Lily tells CeCe.

"Are you going to pay him?" CeCe asks, handing Alex back over to Lily.

"I don't know I need more time," Lily says and kisses her daughter's forehead.

"Need more time for what?" Rufus asks, standing at the threshold of the door. Lily opens her mouth and is about to tell her husband the truth about everything when CeCe intervenes.

"Lily and I were discussing the party. She thinks she needs more time to set up before the people start coming," CeCe lies to Rufus.

"Honey, I told you that the kids and I would handle everything, don't worry," Rufus tells Lily, coming over to steal Alex from her and places a gentle kiss on her temple. Lily glares at CeCe for stepping in when she could have told Rufus about the whole Andrew Tyler situation.

"Thank you my darling, I really appreciate everything you are doing," Lily tells him and lifts up her heels to give Rufus a kiss on the cheek.

"Come on, the guests are starting to arrive," Rufus slips his fingers through hers, leading Lily downstairs. Lily turns her head to give CeCe a "we will talk about this later" look.

Lily and Rufus bring Alex down and are immediately swarmed by Blair, Chuck, Nate and Jenny who are fighting over who gets to hold Alex first. Rufus gives Alex to Jenny so he can get some food.

"The decorations look amazing, thank you," Lily says to Rufus while they are piling their plates with appetizers. Lily admires the pink princess-themed decorations strewn about the penthouse and the three tiered princess cake with Alex's name on the top.

"I made the kids do most of the work," Rufus jokes and kisses her cheek.

"Still, I have been busy trying to handle my mother, I should have been down here to help," Lily confesses, putting a hand on his cheek. Rufus is wondering why his wife is being so apologetic, it is so unlike her. He doesn't mind, but it's weird to see her feeling guilty over something so silly.

"Don't worry Lil, CeCe is enough to deal with on her own," Rufus kisses her forehead and goes over to talk to the kids. Lily stares down on her plate of food, suddenly not feeling hungry. She tosses the full dish away on her way upstairs, stopping to say hi to some people just getting off the elevator on her way upstairs.

Lily slips into the master bedroom and takes her heels off before sitting down on the bed. She lies down and stares at the ceiling, mulling over the ramifications of her correspondence with Andrew today. Truthfully, she isn't even sure if she wants to pay off this reporter. Lily knows what she _should _do, what society tells her to do, what her mother wants her to do, but she is hesitant to go through with it.

Should she talk to Serena and see what she wants to do? No, that is too risky, Serena might go to Rufus. _Rufus, _God, she wishes that their personalities weren't so different, that would make it so much easier to appease her guilty conscience.

Lily hears a knock on the bedroom door and assumes it Rufus, wondering why she hasn't been socializing downstairs, which she really should be.

"Come in!" Lily shouts and sits up in bed, reaching for her heels.

"There you are, I was expecting to find you and Rufus talking in a corner somewhere," CeCe says to her daughter. Lily rolls her eyes,

"I don't have the heart to tell him right now, plus I am not sure if I am going to pay that reporter."

"Oh, but Lily you have to," CeCe tells Lily who is busy putting her stilettos back on.

"Why?" Lily asks defiantly.

"You already know the answer to that question. Before you were married to Rufus you wouldn't hesitate like this," Lily stands up and combs her hand through her hair.

"Well mother maybe that's a good thing." CeCe shakes her head and bats her hand in the air.

"Don't be stupid, pay him or I will," CeCe gives her daughter an ultimatum. Lily takes a deep breath and glares at her mother.

"Hey Lil, we are going to cut the cake if you want to come down," Rufus says, severing their conversation. Lily does her best to cover up her pissed off expression, but she can tell Rufus still sees it.

"Okay, let's go mother," Lily tells CeCe who nods and leaves the master bedroom, heading downstairs. Lily walks to Rufus, snaking an arm around his waist.

"This is the last time I am going to ask you. Are you okay?" Rufus asks, stopping at the landing of the steps.

"Yeah why?" Lily asks, trying her best to maintain her composure.

"You have been up here for over an hour," Rufus informs her, practically begging her to let him in.

"Oh, I guess I lost track of time. I just needed a break from the party and I just must have taken too long," Lily starts walking, dragging Rufus along with her. Rufus isn't buying her story, but he is well aware Lily isn't going to talk about it until they are alone.

"Where is the birthday girl?" Lily asks her guests, looking around for her daughter. From across the room, Serena holds Alex up, signaling that she is holding onto her sister.

"If you guys would follow me, we are going to cut the cake," Rufus announces to everyone and takes the cake off of the makeshift tables. All of the guests follow him into the dining room where Serena places Alex in the highchair. They sing Alex happy birthday sans a candle this time and pass out pieces of cake.

They transition over back to the living room to watch Alex open her presents. Rufus holds Alex in his lap while Lily helps Alex open them and then thanks whoever got her the gift. Cameras spark up among the guests, each clamoring to get a picture with Alex who couldn't care less. While Lily is smiling for a picture with Rufus and Alex, she feels her iPhone vibrate in her dress pocket.

"Excuse me, I have to take this," Lily says after the picture is taken. Rufus can see the distressed look on his wife's face as she bolts upstairs. Rufus passes Alex over to Chuck and Blair and motions for Serena, Eric, Dan, Scott and Jenny to follow him into the kitchen, away from the other guests.

"What's going on Dad?" Jenny asks, guessing this sudden pow-wow in the kitchen has to deal with seeing Lily flee as fast as she can upstairs.

"Has Lily mentioned anything to you about something going on? She has been acting strange all day," Rufus asks the kids. He feels pathetic that he has to ask their kids about his wife, but Lily has left him no choice. Rufus asked her twice today if she was okay and she shut him out.

"No, but I have noticed that my mom and CeCe spending a lot of time together, which is unusual," Eric remarks. Rufus sighs in defeat, causing Dan to put a hand on his father's shoulder.

"Dad, you know Lily better than anyone. I am sure she will tell you whatever is bothering her when the time is right," Dan assures his father, hoping that he is correct in his assumption.

"Thanks Dan, if you kids could keep an eye out and let me know if you see anything I would greatly appreciate it. If you excuse me I have to go rescue Alex from Chuck before he puts scotch in her bottle," Rufus jokes half-heartedly and walks back into the party. The kids remained huddled around each other, each looking to one another for an idea.

"I feel so bad for Rufus, one of us should go talk to my mom," Serena suggests.

"Lily would probably be more inclined to open up to you, Scott or Eric than Jenny and I," Dan points out.

"He has a point, Serena, I wish you luck," Eric says and pats his sister on the back.

"Me? Why me?" Serena asks with displeasure.

"It was your idea," Scott says, earning a glare from Serena.

"Fine, but if she bites my head off I am blaming the two of you," Serena says with a scowl and the kids disband, heading back into the living room. Before Serena goes to talk to her mother, she wants to talk to her best friend for advice.

"Hey B, can I talk to you for a second?" Serena asks, interrupting Blair's conversation with Chuck.

"Sure S, what's up?" Blair asks and takes a sip of her champagne.

"This is kind of weird to ask, but have you overheard anything…troubling from my mom or CeCe?" Serena asks.

"No, but if you want me to do a little digging or send out a hit on Gossip Girl I can."

"I don't think that would help, but thanks anyway Blair, I guess I am going to go talk to her."

"Good luck and ask Lily where she got her shoes!" Blair calls out as Serena is walking away. Serena does a once over of the first floor of the penthouse, wanting to make sure Lily didn't sneak downstairs while she was talking to Blair. She doesn't see her mother, but locks eyes with Rufus, giving him a nod to let him know she is going to talk to Lily. Rufus grins back at her and resumes his conversation with Scott.

Serena slips upstairs and knocks on the door to the master bedroom. Her mother is in the middle of a conversation with her grandmother when Serena steps in.

"Okay, I am getting a weird vibe," Serena says to break the ice.

"Serena, what are you doing up here?" Lily asks, sounding a little annoyed.

"I was going to ask you the same question. You have been spending an awful lot of time up here with grandma," Serena observes, crossing her arms, waiting for an answer.

"Dear, can I ask you somewhat of a sensitive question?" CeCe asks Serena, causing both Lily and Serena to turn to her.

"Sure grandma, if it will help whatever it is the two of you are up to."

"When did you start seeing your old Columbia professor, Colin Forrester?" CeCe asks. Lily's jaw drops and she shakes her head, hinting to her mother to shut up. Serena furrows her eyebrows,

"We knew each other while I was a student there. Why is this coming up now?" Serena asks Lily and CeCe.

"No reason, I just picked up a copy of his book the other day and remembered that you two knew each other," CeCe says.

"Right…well…Rufus is starting to get suspicious so I would stop whatever it is the two of you are doing up here," Serena tells the two of them, specifically Lily. When Serena closes the door to the master bedroom, Lily turns to CeCe with a confused look on her face,

"Mother, why did you ask Serena about Colin?"

"I wanted to make sure that Serena is telling us the absolute truth about him."

Serena comes downstairs to see most of the guests have cleared out. The only people that are left are her siblings, Blair and Nate. She bypasses Blair and Chuck to find Rufus playing with Alex.

"Hey Rufus," Serena eases herself to the floor so her Rachel Zoe dress won't ride up. Rufus gives Alex the block that is in his hand to give Serena his full attention.

"Hi Serena, how did it go?" Rufus asks. Serena shrugs,

"Something is up, but my mom wouldn't spill, although CeCe did ask me about Colin, which was odd. I'm sorry Rufus; I wish I was more help."

"No don't feel bad, I don't blame you at all. Thank you for lending a hand Serena, I will be sure to talk to Lily later." Serena puts a hand on Rufus shoulder and stands up.

"Okay well I am going to head out with Blair, Chuck and Nate. Dan, Eric, Jenny, Scott, do you want to come with?" Serena asks her siblings, hoping that they will get the hint that it is time to leave.

"Sure, the tiny finger food I ate earlier didn't fill me up, I am starving," Dan says to lighten the mood.

"I guess I don't mind you Humphrey's tagging along, it's for a good cause after all," Blair remarks, earning a glare from Serena.

"Come on Scott, allow me to introduce you to the New York bar scene," Chuck says while wrapping an arm around Blair.

"Just bring him back in one piece Chuck," Rufus warns, knowing how out of control his step son can be.

"Don't worry Rufus, I will have him tucked into bed before curfew," Chuck says in his usual sarcastic tone. Rufus rolls his eyes and stands up, holding onto Alex who is starting to drift off to sleep. Everyone leaves and Rufus surveys the mess made by the party.

He has been patient with Lily all day, but enough is enough. Rufus didn't even want this party in the first place, however, he agreed because it was what his wife wanted. Not only was Lily absent for the majority of Alex's party, but when she finally came downstairs it was like she wasn't even there.

"It's time for bed Alex," Rufus tells his daughter and takes her to the nursery. On his way in, he checks the door to the master bedroom, still seeing it closed. The only time he or Lily ever close their door is when they are in there. Rufus bites back a sigh and swings open the door to the nursery.

"Dada," Alex mumbles as her father takes her dress off, tossing it in the hamper next to the changing table. Rufus adoringly grins at his daughter as he changes her into a new diaper and cozy pajamas.

"Goodnight Alex," Rufus says tenderly and kisses Alex's forehead. He shuts off the light and gently closes the door behind him. Rufus raps on the door to his and Lily's bedroom and opens the door.

"Hi Rufus, did everyone leave?" Lily asks nervously, sensing by the look on her husband's face that he is irritated.

"Yeah about twenty minutes ago, Lily can I talk to alone please?" Rufus asks.

"I am going to leave the two of you to talk," CeCe puts her hand on Lily's arm and breezes past Rufus, closing the door behind her.

"I have been downstairs all day talking to our friends and family at a party that I didn't even want to have, but I did it for you." Rufus tells her, crossing his arms.

"I know and I am really grateful for it," Lily reaches out to touch Rufus' cheek, but he steps back, not wanting to let her off the hook just yet. Lily's eyes flicker up to him and she retracts her hand.

"What have you been doing up here all day? And what does have to do with Serena?" Lily was hoping that it wouldn't have to come to this; she wanted to have a definite answer for Andrew before she went to Rufus.

"I can't tell you Rufus, I am sorry," Lily apologizes. Rufus shoves his hands in his pockets and shakes his head.

"That's not good enough Lily. You were the one that said you hated when we have secrets in our marriage." Lily scrapes her teeth across her lower lip, Rufus has backed her into a corner, and she has no choice but to tell him.

"Andrew Tyler called before Alex's party; apparently a reporter is trying to shop a story around about Serena."

"I figured it had to do with Serena, what about her?"

"The reporter claims that they have evidence proving that Serena slept with her professor, Colin Forrester, in order to be admitted into Columbia. They want me to pay them fifty thousand dollars in order to kill the story."

"That's ridiculous, don't pay them because the story isn't true," Rufus says with disdain, causing Lily to huff and roll her eyes.

"My mother was right, I shouldn't have told you because you don't understand," Lily says and points at him.

"Then why don't you explain it to me? I think you owe me that much after today," Rufus tells her, completely glossing over the fact that his mother-in-law is tangled up in this. He knows that CeCe couldn't turn away from a scandal especially when it has to deal with her family.

"With Serena's history with men, the fact that she dropped out of Columbia after a story about her and Colin was in the newspaper makes it believable," Lily says, her voice rising with each word. Rufus rocks back and forth on the balls of his feet,

"Even if it isn't true you couldn't let your image be tarnished."

"What did you expect me to do Rufus? I would do anything to protect my children."

"Did you even tell Serena about this or ask her what she wants to do since the story is about her?" Lily avoids Rufus' questioning gaze, making him assume that the answer is no.

"Serena couldn't possibly understand the ramifications of a story like this being released."

"She isn't a child Lily; I think she is a lot smarter than you give her credit for. Putting aside Serena for the moment, I asked you twice today if you were okay and you lied to me."

"I knew that if I told you that I was going to pay the reporter off that you wouldn't approve."

"So you thought it would be better to just keep this from me and lie directly to my face instead?"

"I was going to tell you when I decided what to do," Lily argues back.

"The majority of the arguments that we have had has stemmed from you lying to me about important decisions that we should be making together," Rufus says to her.

"That's great Rufus, if I am such a terrible person then why did you marry me?" Lily asks him out of anger.

"Honestly Lily, right now I don't know," Rufus admits. Lily is taken aback; she expected him to say "because I love you" or anything else but "I don't know".

The buzzing of Lily's phone interrupts their heated argument. Lily takes it out of her dress pocket and bounces it in her hand, her thumb hovering over the dial pad. Lily's eyes volley between her phone and Rufus' face, wordlessly asking him if she can answer her phone.

"You should answer that call," Rufus tells her and waits for her back to turn before he exits their bedroom.

**A/N 2: That's it for now! What do you guys think is going to happen in the next chapter? I will tell you that it gets a lot worse before it gets better, but they will make up. Thank you for reading and please drop off a review on your way out!**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: I say this every chapter and will continue to say it, thanks for all of the reviews! This chapter is officially rated M, so I don't get in trouble later. Anyway, I am done talking, enjoy the next chapter!**

**Chapter 24**

_The buzzing of Lily's phone interrupts their heated argument. Lily takes it out of her dress pocket and bounces it in her hand, her thumb hovering over the dial pad. Lily's eyes volley between her phone and Rufus' face, wordlessly asking him if she can answer her phone._

_ "You should answer that call," Rufus tells her and waits for her back to turn before he exits their bedroom._

Rufus hurries down the stairs and brushes past CeCe who is busy having a drink at the counter. CeCe sees Rufus leave, but doesn't say anything, figuring that he needs his space.

"Okay…thank you Andrew…yup…I will talk to you tomorrow…bye," Lily hangs up the phone and sighs.

"Rufus thanks for…" Lily swirls around to expecting her husband to be standing there with the same dismayed expression on his face that he had before their disagreement was put on hold. However, Rufus isn't there, which is a little surprising to her. Lily walks downstairs to see her mother wearing somewhat of a self-satisfied smirk.

"Rufus left darling," CeCe tells Lily and polishes off her gin and tonic.

"Why didn't you try to stop him then mother?" Lily asks with frustration.

"Now Lily, do you think it really would have made a difference what I said? He really didn't seem to be in the mood to talk," CeCe says with raised eyebrows. Lily rolls her eyes; her mother does have a point…_again._

"I guess you are right, I messed up," Lily sits down on the barstool next to her mother. Lily reaches for the gin bottle, swipes her mother's glass and pours herself a drink.

"Why did you even tell Rufus? I thought we agreed that it was best to wait." CeCe is a bit annoyed that her daughter took her precious gin, but there are more important issues to deal with.

"He trapped me into a corner mother, what was I supposed to do? He obviously knew that I was lying to him." Lily tosses the rest of her drink back and wipes the excess liquid off of her mouth.

"Fine, how did the call to Andrew go?" CeCe asks, watching Lily pour herself a little bit more gin.

"I told him that I would have an answer for him in the morning." Lily informs CeCe while putting the empty bottle back on the counter.

"Lily, you know that the best thing to do is pay the reporter off." CeCe tells her daughter after Lily tips back all the liquid in the glass, swallowing it in one loud gulp.

"I want to talk to Serena first," Lily takes the empty glass and puts it in the dishwasher. Drinking all of that alcohol wasn't the best idea, especially when she has to get up early with Alex in the morning.

"Is this coming from you or from Rufus?" CeCe asks, slightly disappointed that her plan isn't working out entirely how she wanted it to. Lily closes the dishwasher door and goes back to her original seat next to CeCe.

"Rufus has a point mother," Lily puts her elbow on the counter and puts her fist on her temple.

"I think you are just scared darling," CeCe tells Lily in her usual blunt way.

"Of course I am! I am terrified because if I pay the reporter off than Rufus might never forgive me!" Lily raises her voice at CeCe, being careful not to wake up Alex. CeCe bats her hand in the air,

"If he doesn't forgive you then he doesn't deserve you Lily. Rufus needs to stop being so self-righteous." Lily lifts her head off of her fist and shakes her head.

"It's not that simple mother; I don't think I could live with myself knowing that Rufus hates me." CeCe feels a little guilty for trying to destroy her daughter's marriage; she didn't realize how much Lily loves Rufus.

"So, what are you going to do to fix it?" CeCe asks. Lily bites the inside of her cheek and gets off of the barstool.

"I am going to call my daughter," Lily heads up to the master bedroom to take the iPhone off of the charger. She dials Serena and waits for her to pick up.

Meanwhile downstairs, CeCe takes her phone out of her cream-colored Alexander McQueen blazer and dials her contact.

"Yes?" The man on the other end of the phone asks CeCe.

"We might have to take care of the Serena situation ourselves. Stay reachable, I will have an answer for you soon," CeCe tells the man and hangs up the phone without waiting for a response.

"Brooklyn please," Rufus tells the cab driver a few blocks away from the penthouse. He keeps going over their argument over and over, mulling it around in his head. Rufus can't believe that he is practically thanked Lily yesterday for being honest with him. She lied to him not once, but twice today because she knew that he wouldn't approve of paying someone off. Rufus thought his wife was done with the deceiving and scheming after they fought about the Gossip Girl blast over Jenny and Chuck and few months ago, clearly he was wrong.

Rufus realizes that Lily is more like CeCe than he ever wanted her to be. The lying, manipulation, and the belief that you should put your image over your family is not who Rufus wants to be married to and raise a child with. However, a part of Rufus is curious if Lily will pay the reporter off. Another part of him is wondering if he can still be married to her if she does.

Back at the penthouse Lily hits redial on her iPhone for the fourth time. A few rings go by before Serena finally answers Lily's call.

"Serena, do you ever pick up your phone?" Lily asks with irritation and sits down on the edge of her bed.

"Sorry mom I couldn't hear it. What's going on?" Serena asks in concern and walks away from the loud chatter surrounding her in order to hear her mother more clearly.

"Can you come back to the penthouse?" Lily lifts herself up and starts pacing around the bedroom, stopping to look down at the empty bed, feeling a pang of sadness shoot through her.

"Does this have anything to do with Rufus?" Serena asks and watches her siblings and friends all turn their eyes towards her. Lily sighs heavily into the phone,

"Serena I will explain everything when you get here. Please, just do this for me," Lily practically begs, not in the mood to answer questions about her tattered marriage.

"Sure mom, I will be right there," Serena hangs up the phone and rejoins Eric, Dan, Jenny, Blair, Nate, Chuck and Scott.

"What is going on?" Dan asks, noticing the distressed look on Serena's face.

"I am not sure, but it has something to do with what Rufus asked us about earlier. I have to go," Serena collects her clutch and heads out of the bar.

"I say this party is officially over," Jenny says and puts her drink down.

"Yeah, let's go back to the loft," Dan suggests. Chuck, Scott, Blair and Nate stay while Dan, Eric and Jenny leave.

When Serena arrives at the penthouse, CeCe is enjoying a piece of leftover cake while her mother is nowhere to be seen.

"Hi grandma, where is my mom?" Serena asks.

"She is in her room dear," CeCe tells her granddaughter and watches Serena retreat upstairs. Serena checks the master bedroom but it's empty, so she goes into Rufus' office, finding her mother gazing at a picture of them taken shortly after Alex was born.

"Mom?" Serena asks, causing Lily to break her staring contest with the photo.

"Hi Serena, thank you for stopping by," Lily kisses her daughter's cheek and takes them over to the white leather couch positioned in the middle of the office.

"Hey, where is Rufus? I didn't see him on the way in," Serena wonders, watching her mother cringe slightly.

"Serena, I have to tell you something, but I don't want to you interrupt." Serena furrows her eyebrows, noticing that her mother totally ignored her question about Rufus.

"Okay fine, what is it?" Serena takes the throw pillow from behind her back and tosses it on the floor.

"I got a call from Andrew Tyler and he told me that a reporter is going to publish a story about you unless we pay him," Lily explains.

"Wait…what? What about me?" Serena asks in shock.

"That you slept with Colin to get admitted to Columbia," Lily says and hates herself for watching the crestfallen expression on her daughter's face.

"Oh my god mom! What do we do?" Serena is horrified, she always knew getting involved with her professor would come back to bite her in the ass.

"That's what I wanted to ask you. I know that the story isn't true, but darling it doesn't matter. If the story comes out, you will have to answer some tough questions about your relationship with Colin."

"Okay but first, why is Rufus not here with you? What happened mom?" Serena asks, diverting the conversation to buy her some time to think. Lily jerks her head away and Serena swears she can see tears forming in her mother's eyes.

"I lied to him twice today and he found out. We had a fight…and he…left me," Lily says with shame.

"Why did you lie to him?" Serena pushes and tilts her head to see if her mother is crying. Lily seems to have wiped away any traces of her tears.

"Serena do we really have to talk about this now?" Lily asks in agitation, she is afraid that she will break down in front of her daughter.

"Does you and Rufus' argument have to do with me?" Serena asks, guilt marring her features.

"No my darling, this was my mistake, but what do you want to do?" Lily asks putting her hand on Serena's for reassurance.

"Hold on, when I came upstairs earlier and asked you what was going on, why didn't you tell me then?"

"I…didn't think that you would understand what it would mean for the story being made public," Lily says with a sigh of disappointment.

"I am guessing that Grandma had something to do with this," Serena tells her mother. Lily laughs,

"You know how your grandmother can be, but I wanted to talk to you first."

"I don't think you should pay the reporter mom," Serena declares with a firm nod.

"Sure Serena I won't, if that's what you want. Can I ask why?"

"Far worse stories about me have been put on Gossip Girl and in the newspapers, some true and some not. I know that there has been stuff published in the papers about Colin and I in the past and I handled it." Lily smiles at her daughter, she is thrilled that Serena seems to have grown up tremendously.

"I am proud of you Serena, you have really matured in the past few years," Lily says with happiness. This works out perfectly for her, Serena is choosing the adult option and Rufus will be satisfied that the reporter isn't being paid off.

"Great, now mom, will you please go apologize to Rufus? I am sure he will forgive you if you are sincere about it," Serena tells her mother with confidence. Lily's grin falters and she removes her hand from Serena's arm.

"I don't think it's going to be that simple Serena," Lily admits with sadness. Even though Lily's fight with Rufus had nothing to do with her, Serena still feels bad about the whole situation she inadvertently caused. Serena is also scared that Rufus won't be able to forgive Lily this time. Out of all the men Lily has dated and married throughout Serena's life, Rufus is the only person that can have such a drastic effect on her mother, his love elates her, but his anger destroys her.

Serena hears her phone vibrate in her pocket and reaches for her clutch to answer it.

"Oh, Eric says that Scott is coming back here and he is going to Elliot's if that's okay with you," Serena tells Lily as she is reading off the text message her brother sent her.

"Tell him that I said that was fine and make sure that he is here for breakfast tomorrow," Lily says and watches Serena's fingers scamper around the iPhone screen.

"Okay, I am going to go back to Blair's. I'll be back in the morning for breakfast," Serena collects her clutch and leans over to brush a kiss to her mother's cheek.

"Bye Serena, have a good night," Lily says with a tiny smile.

"Bye mom, please consider calling Rufus," Serena suggests as she is walking out of the office. Lily observes Serena's retreating figure and bangs the back of her head against the couch. She was really close to unraveling in front of her daughter when she kept asking about Rufus. Lily is a little angry at Rufus for leaving, but that's what he does when he gets mad. Lily respects that he needs space; she just wishes that he would consider staying and maybe sleeping in a different room since they have Alex to worry about.

Dan and Jenny stumble into the loft and find their father sitting on the couch holding a bottle of scotch. Serena didn't elaborate on why she had to go back to the penthouse, but Dan and Jenny assumed it had to do with Rufus asking about Lily at Alex's party earlier.

"Hey dad," Dan begins awkwardly and sits down in the chair across from the couch. Rufus gives a slight acknowledgment that he heard Dan and pours some scotch into the empty tumbler.

"Dad, why are you here? Did something happen with Lily?" Jenny asks, aware of the fact that Rufus only sleeps at the loft when he gets into an argument with Lily. The last big fight her father and Lily had was at the Hamptons a little over a year ago. Ever since then things have been great between them, until now.

"I don't want to talk about it. I am going to bed, Goodnight, I'll see you guys in the morning," Rufus tells his children and downs the rest of his scotch in one swig. He slams the glass down on the coffee table, heaves himself off the couch and goes into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

"Wow," Dan whispers and his chocolate eyes flicker over to Jenny's. Jenny frowns and ruffles her loose blonde tendrils.

"Yeah, I haven't seen him that upset in a while. What the hell did Lily do to him?" Jenny asks with anger. She has been on board with Rufus and Lily's relationship ever since Lily became pregnant with Alex, but every time her father and step mother get into a fight, it seems that Lily is always the one hurting Rufus.

"I'm not sure, but I think we should let dad handle it," Dan warns Jenny, knowing that his sister likes to intervene.

"What if he doesn't?" Jenny asks and puts a hand on her hip.

"Then that's his decision. Seriously Jenny, stay out of it, we could end up pushing them farther apart," Dan says sternly. Jenny drops her hand and rocks on her heels.

"Fine, I guess you are right. However, if this isn't resolved within the next few days, I will have no choice but to interfere. I am going to bed too," Jenny says and heads to her room.

"Wait, you aren't staying at Lily's?" Dan asks, thinking at all of her stuff is still there.

"Dan, I am not going to sleep at Lily's when dad is pissed at her. What kind of daughter would I be? Besides, I am pretty sure Scott or CeCe is sleeping in my room," Jenny tells her brother as she is sliding up the door to her room.

"Good point, do you know if we are expected to be at that breakfast tomorrow?" Dan asks Jenny before she releases the door.

"I am not sure, we will have to ask dad tomorrow. Although, I am guessing that we are no longer invited," Jenny says with her brother and lets the door fall, effectively ending their conversation.

Lily has been stewing in self-reflection ever since Serena left. Every fiber in her being is telling her to go to the loft and apologize over and over again until Rufus forgives her. She can't do it, not being able to let go what told her right before he left. _I don't know why I married you, _is probably one of the worst things Rufus has ever said to her. When she asked him, it was meant to be more of a sarcastic remark than an actual question. Lily is aware of the qualities Rufus finds attractive in her, but have the bad finally outweighed the good? Can he no longer look beyond her flaws and just accept her for who she is?

The mere thought makes Lily shudder and her eyes prick with tears. She cannot lose Rufus because of CeCe again, that would break her heart. Yet, Lily is letting it happen for what, her mother's approval? Rufus means a lot more to Lily than CeCe. With Rufus, Lily doesn't have to prove anything, she can just be herself.

"Lily! Where did you disappear to?" CeCe exclaims from downstairs. Lily huffs and builds up the courage to drag herself off the couch and downstairs. _You can do this, you have to do this for you, for Rufus_, Lily repeats the mantra until it sounds credible in her head.

"Yes mother, what can I help you with?" Lily paints on a smile and goes to the cabinet to grab a tea bag.

"How did your talk with Serena go?" CeCe asks. Lily puts some water on the stove to boil and takes a deep breath.

"Great, actually, she thought that it's best that we don't pay the reporter off and I agree with her." There, Lily said it, and not shockingly, her mother disapproves.

"Well Lily, I think you are making a mistake," CeCe says as the tea kettle starts whistling. Lily turns off the burner and grabs a clean coffee mug; she turns over her shoulder to see if her mother wants one too. CeCe declines, saying that she would rather stick with her coffee filled with newly acquired gin.

"Regardless, it's Serena's mistake to make," Lily points out and takes a sip of her tea.

"As her mother, how could you let her make a mistake?"

"Serena is doing what she thinks is right and I agree with her."

"I am guessing that you agree with her because of whatever you and Rufus argued about earlier," CeCe assumes.

"Rufus gave me some advice about parenting a long time ago that I intend to follow."

"Oh, and what advice would that be?" CeCe asks with raised eyebrows.

"That maybe I should actually trust that my daughter can make the best decisions for herself without my help," Lily says with her confidence dwindling, standing up to her mother is proving harder than she thought it would be, but it's necessary. CeCe puts down her coffee mug and smiles,

"Well I am proud of you darling, I know that you and Serena haven't had the best relationship in the past and I am glad that you are doing all you can to fix it." Lily's eyebrows shoot together, that was a total turnaround from before, what is going on?

"As much as I know that I am doing what is best for my daughter, what's with the sudden change?"

CeCe stills momentarily, she wasn't expecting that question from Lily; luckily she is quick on her feet.

"You clearly have you mind made and I don't think that I will be able to change it for you. Obviously I want what is best for you and Serena, but she is your daughter. Now, if you will excuse me, I am exhausted and I am going to bed. I have to leave right after breakfast tomorrow," CeCe informs Lily and disappears into Serena's old room, lightly closing the door behind her.

_Okay, I might have laid it on too thick, _CeCe thinks and reaches for her phone.

"Yes?" The man on the other end asks.

"It looks like we have to pay the reporter after all," CeCe tells the man.

"Someone got cold feet I presume?"

"The choice was already made by somebody else; there was nothing I could do. Are you going to get it done or do I have to call somebody else?" CeCe snaps in irritation, not liking her orders being questioned.

"It will be done," CeCe receives her confirmation and hangs up, throwing her phone on the bed before heading to the bathroom to take a shower.

Lily has been procrastinating all night. She knows that she isn't going to get much sleep, something that always seems to happen when Rufus isn't here. Her chocolate orbs dart over to the clock on the oven, it's nearing eleven. Scott already came in and went straight to bed, now the only one left up is her. Alex is going to be up at seven demanding her attention; Lily might as well attempt to get some shut eye.

She goes to the master bedroom, washes off her makeup and changes into some pajamas. Lily slides into her side of the bed and rolls over to face the other empty side. Usually, Lily would be sleeping by now, her head nestled under Rufus' chest, Rufus' arm wrapped around her, pulling her as close to him as possible. _Oh, _does she miss him, even his light snoring; it just isn't the same without him to fall asleep with.

Rufus has been staring at the ceiling since he retreated into his room after talking to Jenny and Dan. Sleep evades him, no surprise there. He misses Lily's wayward blonde ringlets pressing up against his nose, assaulting his senses with her lilac shampoo. He misses _her. _Lily is the only person that can make him so mad that he doesn't want to be near her, but he wants nothing more than for her to be with him right now. However, she needs to know that she can't just lie to him and get away with it. They are a couple, her problems are his and vice versa. Rufus can't help her if Lily chooses to lie to him instead of coming to him. They need to be apart for the moment, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't still hurt.

The next morning Lily is woken up at around eight by the sound of Alex crying through the baby monitor. Lily rubs her eyes and tosses the covers towards the foot of the bed. She realizes that she was cuddling up to Rufus' pillow last night and throws it back on his side of the bed.

"I'm coming Alex," Lily mumbles and slips on the robe she discarded last night. She ties the robe and makes her way into the nursery before Alex wakes Scott up.

"Hi sweetheart," Lily says to Alex who is standing up in the crib, tears tumbling down her cheeks.

"Mama," Alex mutters and reaches for Lily. Lily scoops Alex up and takes her over to the changing table. Lily changes her and takes her downstairs for an early breakfast. Lily puts Alex down in the highchair while she goes to the cabinet to find some baby food. Finding nothing even close to edible in the cabinets, Lily scans the counter for a healthy alternative.

"How about some bananas Alex?" Lily asks her daughter and holds up the aforementioned fruit. Alex is indifferent and continues to babble incoherently. Lily shrugs and starts slicing bite-sized pieces for Alex to munch on. She deposits the chopped up banana on the tray of Alex's highchair before walking over to the counter to turn the coffee pot on. Fortunately, Alex slept later than usual today, probably having to do with the party last night really wearing her out. Lily only got about four hours of solid sleep last night, meaning she is going to need a lot of cups of coffee to get through the rest of her day.

By the time Alex is done with her breakfast and cleaned up, it is nearing nine in the morning. Lily puts Alex down in the living room and surrounds her daughter with the new toys she got for her birthday while Lily dials Andrew Tyler.

"Hi Lily, how can I help you?" Andrew asks, sounding a little cheerier than yesterday.

"Hello Andrew, I wanted to talk about the reporter. I decided that I am not going to pay him off, but I really appreciate you coming to me instead of just letting the story be published." Lily hears silence on the other end, she double checks her phone to make sure Andrew didn't accidently hang up on her.

"Sorry Lily, I am confused. I got a call from your mother saying that the reporter has been paid and not to worry about anything about Serena surfacing anytime soon."

_What? _Lily is furious, how dare her mother go against her! Lily told CeCe what she wanted yesterday and she thought her mother would respect that. Clearly Lily underestimated her mother and how far she was willing to go to cover this alleged story up.

"Lily, are you still there?" Andrew asks, cutting into Lily's rampant thoughts. Lily counts to ten before answering Andrew back,

"Uh…yeah…sorry Andrew I was getting breakfast ready for my daughter. Thank you again for helping and I am sure we will talk again soon," Lily lies, she doesn't want Andrew to know how her own mother betrayed her.

"Oh, well goodbye Lily," Andrew says causing Lily to disconnect the call. Lily lets the phone slip out of her hand and fall onto the counter. She should have known something was up when CeCe was acting so understanding about Lily letting Serena pick whether the reporter gets paid off or not. Lily was uncertain of CeCe, but she thought that she would give her mother the benefit of the doubt. _I sound an awful lot like my husband; _Lily thinks to herself and frowns. Only being able to see the best in people is not a good quality to have in her world, where people constantly stab each other in the back.

It's an endearing quality in Rufus because of his Brooklyn roots, he is always there to remind Lily that people aren't always as bad as they seem. The one exception to this has to be CeCe because she continues to disappoint Lily time and time again by doing petty things like paying a reporter behind her daughters back. However Lily stops herself, she was about to do the exact same thing to Rufus and Serena, wasn't she?

Lily shakes her head and drinks her coffee while watching her daughter play. She cranes her neck around the counter to confirm that Serena's bedroom door is shut meaning that CeCe is likely still sleeping… or scheming.

"Mama! Play!" Alex exclaims and shows Lily a block coated in slobber. A wide grin stretches across Lily's lips as she walks into the living room to be near her daughter. Alex crawls over to her in order to give her mother a better look at the toy in her hands. Lily picks Alex up and plops her down in her lap, needing to have her daughter as close to her as possible.

_I will never do the things to you that my mother does to me, _the unspoken promise echoes in Lily's head. Lily has already screwed up plenty of times with Serena, Eric and Scott; she is going to try her best not to mess up with Alex. The first thing Lily can do for Alex is to reconcile with her father, which she plans to do when Rufus is ready to talk. Hopefully, Rufus will come to the breakfast today, but Lily doubts it.

Breakfast, what the hell is she going to do about breakfast? Lily usually counts on Rufus to make waffles, but that's not going to happen this morning. Sadly, Lily's cooking skills are limited to heating things up in the microwave. Maybe if Lily gets a hold of Serena in time, she can have her daughter bring some doughnuts or crepes. Lily shoots a quick text to her daughter and puts Alex down to see if there is any leftover bacon in the fridge.

While Lily is busy checking, she hears her phone buzz against the marble countertop. Lily takes the bacon out of the fridge and puts it next to the stove. Then, Lily does a quick check on Alex before checking her message.

**Sure I will bring food, but you wouldn't have this problem if you would just make up with Rufus. We all are craving waffles! Be there in about an hour.**

**-S.**

Lily rolls her eyes and hits the power button on top of her phone. Of course Serena couldn't resist a poke at Lily about Rufus; her daughter can be just as stubborn as her. Lily would love for her husband to come to this family breakfast, but she knows that Rufus won't want to be in the same room as her and CeCe right now because he sees them as the same person.

In Brooklyn, Jenny and Dan are just rising out of bed, being tempted by the aroma of waffles stemming from the kitchen. When they get to the kitchen, Rufus is drinking coffee and flipping through the newspaper.

"Hey kids, do you want some waffles?" Rufus asks with a miniscule grin on his face.

"Sure dad," Dan and Jenny both say and get themselves something to drink. Rufus takes two waffles out of the maker and grabs a plate for both of his kids.

"Don't you want one?" Dan asks out of curiosity.

"No I am going to get something on the way to Lily's," Rufus says nonchalantly. Dan and Jenny smile at each other, this must be a good sign that their dad has forgiven her.

"Dad that's great that you are going to Lily's," Jenny says and takes a bite of her waffle.

"Don't get too excited, Scott asked me to accompany him to the train station. They should be having breakfast now so I will go there to collect Scott and say hi to Alex," Rufus tells his daughter, emphasizing the fact that he isn't going there for Lily. Jenny slumps in her barstool with disappointment while Dan frowns.

"Oh, well, say goodbye to Scott for me," Jenny tells her father as he is collecting his wallet off the counter.

"You guys can come, I am sure Lily isn't going to kick you out if that's what you are afraid of," Rufus says, knowing that his wife will never be mean to his kids no matter what state their relationship is in.

"No thanks, I am going to meet Vanessa for coffee," Dan says although it's not true. He would think that it would be too awkward to go over to Lily's when she and Rufus are fighting.

"Yeah and I'm not hungry anymore so I am going to hang out here for a little bit. Have fun though," Jenny says. Rufus' nods in understanding, it would be weird for them to be over at the penthouse, in Lily's territory. Rufus doesn't want to go over there either, but he promised Scott yesterday that he would escort him to Grand Central and he doesn't want to stand his son up. Rufus waves goodbye to his kids and shuts the loft door behind him.

CeCe gets up before Scott, but Serena and Eric are already there with food. Lily is upstairs getting Alex changed and bumps into Scott on the way back downstairs.

"Let's sit down for breakfast," Lily says, offering a fake smile to her mother. Breakfast is awkward to say the least, but the kids are trying to maintain a constant flow of chatter. Nobody mentions Rufus not being here, but they left the chair that Rufus usually sits in next to Lily open. Serena catches Lily looking at it with a melancholy expression etched into her features, but doesn't say anything. She badgered her mother enough yesterday about Rufus and Serena is just going to leave it up to Lily.

"Mother can I talk to you about something?" Lily asks and leaves the kids to look after Alex who keeps stealing Scott's blueberries. CeCe is well aware of what this is about and follows Lily into Serena's bedroom.

"I am guessing that you want to ask me why I paid off the reporter," CeCe assumes and watches Lily cross her arms.

"Yeah an explanation as to why you went behind my back when I told you what I wanted would be nice," Lily snaps.

"Darling, believe it or not I helped you."

"No, you hurt me there is a difference mother," Lily says, not being able to comprehend what she is hearing.

"I got the reporter off your back by paying him to keep quiet about Serena and you didn't have to lie to Rufus about it," CeCe explains to her. Lily's eyebrows shoot together, that has to be the most convoluted explanation she has ever heard.

"So you lied to me and betrayed me for my relationship with my husband?" Lily asks, clearly not understanding CeCe's logic.

"I didn't do this _for _Rufus; I did this for you and my granddaughter. Don't worry Lily, I think Rufus will appreciate that you wanted to take his advice," CeCe brushes past her and closes the bedroom door, rejoining her grandchildren in the kitchen.

Lily is still in the bedroom, blown away by the conversation she just had with her mother. CeCe is incapable of admitting that she is wrong nor will she ever apologize for it.

Suddenly, Lily hears Rufus' voice on the other side of the door. _Rufus! He is here! _Lily swings open the door to see Rufus chatting with Scott. CeCe shoots Lily an "I told you so" look from behind the counter.

"Hi Rufus," Lily begins and smiles at him. She doesn't make any attempt to hug or kiss him because she knows he wouldn't want that.

"Hi, I came to see Scott and Alex," _and not you, _Rufus didn't have to say it, Lily is aware that is what Rufus is thinking.

"Okay, well there is food if you want some. I have to um…change," Lily excuses herself upstairs, not being able to be in the same room with her husband when he is so cold towards her. What did she expect though; Rufus to all of the sudden forgive her without an apology in one day? Lily is being naïve, but she can't help it, she just wants Rufus back.

There is a knock on the master bedroom door and Rufus pokes her head in.

"Can I come in?" Rufus asks Lily who is in the walk in closet scrutinizing her wardrobe.

"Sure, this is your bedroom too," Lily mutters and watches Rufus grab his duffel bag. To Lily's horror, Rufus starts taking clothes of the hanger and shoving them into the duffel bag.

"Rufus we just need to talk," Lily whispers, willing tears not to spill down her cheeks right now; she doesn't need Rufus to see how pathetic she is.

"No what _I _need is to be away from you right now. We can talk in a few days, but I will be staying at the loft," Rufus tells her. Lily closes her eyes for a second and sighs.

"Fine, if that's what you want, then I will give you space," Lily tells him, her voice cracking. Rufus zips up the duffel bag and walks out of the closet, stopping at the threshold of the door.

"Did you by chance pay off the reporter?" Rufus asks. Lily turns around and slips off the black silk robe she was wearing.

"Why, will make it easier for you to leave me if I did?" Lily asks, looking for an honest answer from Rufus.

"Yes," Rufus mumbles and fiddles with the handle of the duffle.

"I didn't, but CeCe did," Lily says and waits for his reaction.

"Did you ask her to?"

"No, I talked to Serena like you suggested and she didn't want to pay the reporter. My mother wanted to anyway so she did," Lily explains to him with a shrug. For some reason, maybe it's because she lied to him yesterday, Rufus has a hard time believing anything his wife says.

"Right," Rufus turns on his heels and walks out of their bedroom. Lily's eyes sweep over what is leftover of Rufus' left wardrobe in their closet and she bursts into tears. Rufus didn't even give her the chance to tell him how sorry she is, he just left. Are they ever going to get past this? Lily is willing to take responsibility and admit that she messed up, but if Rufus doesn't care she isn't going to waste her time.

While Rufus is waiting for Scott to say goodbye to everyone, CeCe walks over to him.

"Going somewhere?" CeCe asks and points to the luggage in his hand that isn't Scott's.

"Why did you pay off the reporter?" Rufus asks, not giving his mother in law the satisfaction of winning.

"It was for Serena's well being. It seems that Lily wanted to take your advice regarding this whole situation and that didn't sit right with me."

"And you had to do something about it, didn't you, just like you did when Lily and I were younger. It's all about the money and how much you are willing to pay someone to keep something secret."

"Lily was going to do what you suggested, let Serena make decisions for her own good. You don't get it Rufus and you never did, the world isn't as kind as you think it is. My granddaughter would have done something that would have followed her for the rest of her life and now, thanks to me, she doesn't have to." Rufus is starting to feel sorry for his wife, having to deal with CeCe for so many years.

"See how Serena feels when she finds out the truth. I don't think she will be thanking you for lying to her."

"She will forgive me, just like Lily has in the past," CeCe says with reassurance. Rufus nods his head and walks over to Scott.

"Are you ready to go?" Rufus asks his son.

"Yeah," Scott gives final hugs goodbye to everyone and heads towards the elevator. Eric and Serena note Rufus' bag and their mother's absence, but don't ask about it. Whatever Rufus and Lily talked about upstairs couldn't have gone well, but it's time for Serena and Eric to step back and let them figure it out for themselves.

"Goodbye Scott, it was nice seeing you. Rufus, are you coming back here?" Serena asks.

"Uh no, your mother and I thought it was best if I spent a few nights at the loft. I will be by tomorrow to see Alex though," Rufus explains. Serena doesn't think that her mother agreed as much as Rufus told her he wasn't staying here, but again, this is not her fight.

"Oh, well I guess I will see you tomorrow then," Serena says and waves. Scott and Rufus leave and Serena deposits Alex in Eric's arms so she can go find Lily.

"Mom, I think Grandma is leaving if you want to say goodbye," Serena says as she enters the master bedroom. Lily sniffs loudly and hopes that her eyes don't look too puffy from crying.

"Oh…okay...well I will be right down," Lily says. She cried, got dressed and then cried some more, she is still in shock over how bad the conversation with Rufus went. He wouldn't even hear what she had to say, he was still so angry. A few days of space will be good for them and when Rufus is ready to hear her apology, she will give it to him.

"Hey, what happened? I saw Rufus leave with a bag," Serena sits down next to Lily on the edge of the bed. Lily clears her throat and drops the tissue in the garbage near the bed.

"Nothing, he just told me that he is going to be at the loft for a couple of days. I just have never seen him that mad at me before," Lily's eyes become glassy with tears again. Damn it, her daughter should not being seeing her like this, she has to be stronger.

"Mom you know Rufus, he gets like this when he is upset. I know you two will figure it out, he loves you," Serena has never seen her mother this unkempt before, Lily is always so composed and in control on the outside.

"It doesn't matter that he loves me Serena, it matters that he wants to be with me and be a part of this family. I can't…" Lily breaks off to swipe a tear barreling down her cheek. Serena wraps her arms around her mother and just lets her have a couple of seconds to collect herself. Serena has done this plenty of times with Blair, she has become an expert at it, she just never thought that she would have to comfort Lily, usually it's Rufus' job.

A part of Serena is angry at Rufus. She gets that he is mad at Lily for lying, and that part Serena agrees with, her mother never should have lied to him. It's just sometimes Rufus can be a bit rash to judge a situation. He claims to want to be a part of Lily's world, but he picks and chooses what he wants to be involved in. The second the Upper East Side shows its true colors, Rufus runs back to Brooklyn, not seeing the damage he did to Lily by leaving.

Lily pulls away and gives Serena a grateful smile.

"When did you become so grown up?" Lily asks while clearing out all traces of crying away from her face.

"Well, I think my mom has taught me a thing or two about men," Serena jokes. Lily laughs and stands up,

"Thank you Serena, I have to fix my makeup so your grandmother doesn't suspect anything." Lily heaves herself off of the bed and goes into the attached bathroom.

"Based on how many coffees laced with gin and the amount of Chanel number five she is wearing, I don't think grandma knows what time of day it is," Serena jokes, happy to hear her mother laugh a little.

Serena and Lily go downstairs together to see CeCe talking to Eric. Alex is on the floor carefully inspecting her toys, deciding which one is worth her attention.

"There you are Lily, I was wondering if you were ever going to come down the stairs. Rufus is gone you know," CeCe reminds Lily, watching her flinch slightly.

"Yes mother I know. Isn't it almost time for you to get to the airport?" Lily asks in the nicest way she can.

"Oh, yes I will just go get my things," CeCe slides past Lily and Serena to collect her Louis Vuitton suitcase and Birkin bag piled by Serena's door.

"Goodbye," CeCe brushes a kiss to each of her grandchildren's cheeks and then walks over to Lily.

"Bye mother," Lily says with a quirked eyebrow. CeCe puts a hand on Lily's cheek.

"Rufus is a good man Lily, just give him time," CeCe tells her daughter and removes her hand. Lily gives CeCe a genuine smile and nods her head. CeCe rolls her suitcase to the elevator and the doors close behind her.

"Always nice to have grandma in town isn't it?" Eric asks sarcastically. Lily and Serena collapse on the couch and laugh, letting all of the stress of the past few days slip out of them. Lily picks Alex off of the floor and sets her down in her lap.

"Next time we will just have grandma mail Alex's present," Serena quips and steals her sister from Lily.

Three days have gone by since Rufus packed a bag and informed Lily that he needed time apart. He has been stopping by the penthouse to see Alex and Lily has made herself scarce during that time, always saying that she has errands to run or something to do for Bass. In actuality, Lily can't stand the elephant in the room while Rufus is there. Now that Rufus has had the few days he wanted to calm down, he is ready to hear Lily's explanation about what happened at Alex's party.

Rufus is currently sitting on the couch in the loft, fiddling with his phone. It shouldn't be this difficult to call his wife, but it is. _To hell with it, _Rufus thinks and dials Lily's phone number.

"Hello?" Lily asks, not even bothering to check her caller ID.

"Hey Lil, it's me," Rufus starts, finding it adorable that Lily always has no idea how is calling her.

"Oh hi, I was just about to step out if you wanted to come by and see Alex," Lily tells her husband and sweeps Alex's blonde ringlets out of her eyes.

"Actually I was hoping to see you," Rufus says with hesitation. Lily grins at Rufus' confession and picks Alex up, placing a kiss on her forehead.

"Oh okay, do you want to come here or should I come with Alex to the loft?" Lily tries not to get too excited, the conversation they are about to have could go just as bad as their last one; she could still end up pushing Rufus further away.

"How about I come there? I know Alex's nap time is coming up," Rufus says while tying his shoes. Lily presses her lips together, Rufus always puts their children first, which is something that she loves about him.

"Sure, I'll see you soon," Lily tells him and they say their goodbyes. Rufus yells to Jenny that he is going out and closes the door to the loft behind him.

When Rufus arrives at the penthouse, Lily is trying to get Alex to take a few steps. Alex can now stand up, but her feet give out on her when she attempts to walk.

"Hey Alex, come here," Rufus says, making Lily turn around at the sound of his voice.

"Dada!" Alex exclaims and crawls over to him. Rufus picks her up and swings her above his head, causing Alex to giggle. Lily bites back a smile while she gets off the floor, readjusting her DKNY scarlet wrap dress.

"I'll just put her to bed," Lily walks over to Rufus and holds out her hands. Rufus kisses Alex on the temple and gives their daughter to Lily.

"Say goodbye to daddy Alex," Lily tells her daughter as they walk upstairs. Alex gives a lopsided wave to Rufus over Lily's shoulder and Rufus waves back. Lily settles Alex in the crib, making sure she is comfortable before closing the nursery door behind her.

Rufus is sitting on the couch with a can of soda when Lily comes back down the stairs. She sits on the other side of the couch and faces him.

"Rufus I am so sorry for lying to you," Lily says right away, not even bothering to wait for Rufus to start. Rufus' expression softens, but he wants an explanation first before he can totally forgive her.

"Why did you do it Lily?" Rufus asks. Lily sighs and tucks a piece of hair back behind her ear.

"I wanted to tell you and I should have but I knew how you were going to react. CeCe kept pressuring me to keep the Serena thing to ourselves and I guess I let her. I know that's not an excuse, but that's the best explanation I have." Rufus offers her his first authentic smile in days.

"I talked to CeCe before I left a couple of days ago," Rufus says, making Lily's eyes flicker up to his.

"You did? She didn't mention…" Lily breaks off; of course CeCe wouldn't say anything to her about speaking to Rufus. As far as Lily is concerned, CeCe would celebrate if she ever heard of Lily and Rufus divorcing.

"Your mother said that you took my parenting advice and spoke to Serena. She also said some other things that weren't so nice, but for a moment there your mother and I were bonding." Lily gives a closed lipped smile and puts her hand on top of Rufus', wanting to see if he pulls away.

"Remember when you told me about three years ago that CeCe is never going to change? My mother is always going to be who she is, but I think she is starting to change a little bit. All that matters is that you forgive me, do you Rufus?" Rufus scratches the back of his head with the hand that isn't covered with Lily's.

"I do, but Lil, you have got to stop lying to me. I want to you to be honest with me regardless of what the situation is or how you think I will react to it. I know it's not in your nature, but I won't be on the outside of your inner circle, that is not what I want our marriage to be like, okay?"

"Of course, I promise that I will work on being more honest, that is what our clean slate agreement was about after all."

"Exactly, I couldn't agree more," Rufus says and brings Lily closer so he can kiss the corner of her mouth. Lily smiles against his lips, but quickly pulls away.

"Rufus, since we are being honest with each other, I can't get over what you said to me during our fight," Lily says, her expression reverting back into more of a serious one.

"What did I say Lil?" Rufus asks, whatever it was must have really hurt her if she is remembering it three days later.

"That you don't know why you married me," Lily says and her eyes slide away, looking into her lap, almost in disgrace. Rufus wants to kick himself; he said that out of frustration more than anything, he really didn't mean it.

"Lil, I am really am sorry," Rufus uses his bent ring finger to tilt her chin up so she is looking directly at him.

"I know and I understand why you said it, I just wasn't expecting it," Lily says. Rufus suddenly gets off the couch and extends his hand out to her. Lily gives him a confused look, but allows him to pull her off the couch. Rufus coils his arms around her back and pecks her on the lips.

"I married you because you are unpredictable and always surprising me…" Rufus stops to kiss her on the tip of her nose, "because you will do anything to protect our children…" he pauses to kiss her left cheek, "because you are stubborn, complicated and an enigma…" another kiss to the forehead, "and because you can't cook worth a damn, but I love you, so much" Rufus finishes off with a fervent kiss to the lips.

Lily is touched, no one has been able to see her in the way that Rufus does. She doesn't have to worry about putting on a show and keeping up appearances in front of him. Of course, she isn't always aware of this, but Rufus is there to pull her back in when she relapses back into her high society expectations that CeCe drilled into her.

"Rufus, I love you and I am so happy that you are my husband," Lily drapes her arms loosely around his neck, pulling him in for a kiss. Rufus reaches down to pick her up, but Lily stops him before he can take her upstairs.

"What's wrong?" Rufus asks, recognizing Lily's hesitation.

"I have some reasons as to why I married you," Lily says, caressing his cheek with her thumb.

"Lil, you don't have to," Rufus says, eager to get back to what he was doing before she derailed him.

"I want to because that is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. Now put me down," Lily says and wriggles in his grasp. Rufus laughs at her child-like behavior and plants her down her feet. Lily places her hands on his hips, bringing him close to her.

"If you insist," Rufus says, bringing his hands back around her back.

"I do, now shush before I lose my courage to do this. Rufus, I married you because you are so patient with me," Lily mimics what he did before and brushes a kiss to his nose, "because you always see the good in people, including me," a kiss to the cheek next, "because you dislike my mother almost as much as I do," Lily stands on her tip toes to kiss him on the forehead while Rufus laughs, "because you are an amazing father," Lily moves to down to his left temple, kissing him softly, "and because you snore even when you say you don't, but I love you anyway, more than anyone," Lily completes her reasons by placing her hands on both sides of his cheeks, pulling him in for a deep kiss.

"That was kind of cheesy," Rufus admits, blushing slightly.

"I know, but it was a much needed reminder and it was really adorable. I think you topped that list you made for me a few years ago." Lily mumbles referring to the list of her favorite things Rufus created for her which she still has tucked away in her desk.

"Is Alex asleep?" Rufus asks, his eyebrows bouncing up and down. Lily knows where is he is going with this and laces her fingers through his.

"Come on, we have an hour or so," Lily pulls on his hand as they head upstairs.

**A/N 2: There it is, I hoped you guys liked it! I am not leaving any teasers or hints about next chapter; it's going to be a total surprise! Only two chapters left! Please leave a review on your way out and thanks so much for reading. **


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Welcome back and as always, thanks so much for all of the reviews! I just love getting them. This chapter takes place a year after the last one and is rated M, but it isn't too bad, I just don't want to get in trouble. Enjoy!**

**Chapter Twenty Five**

It started with a look, nothing more, and nothing less. A look exchanged between couples and suddenly whatever they are doing becomes unimportant. For Lily and Rufus, it is simply the way his eyes met hers over her book that started it all. Lily closes the latest Nicholas Sparks' novel and sets it on the coffee table. She scoots closer to Rufus and wraps her arms around his waist, laying her head on his chest.

"Hmm…I have missed you this week," Rufus tells her, brushing a kiss to the crown of her head.

"Me too, we have been so busy." Lily and Rufus' schedules didn't seem to mesh with each other's this week. Lily has been so preoccupied with helping Chuck with his event that is scheduled for the next day while Rufus' was attending meetings with Panic. They switched off taking care of Alex so the other person could do whatever they needed to do. The only time they managed to be together, they were so exhausted to really acknowledge each other.

"At least we are alone now." Lily catches his drift and tilts her head up to look at him.

"You need a haircut; your hair is getting long again." Lily combs a piece of hair out his eye and leans in to kiss him. In no time at all, they have escalated to making out on the couch. Rufus pulls away, his lips swollen and his eyes twinkling. He stands up and holds a hand out for Lily. She takes it and Rufus surprises her by sweeping her feet off the ground. She gasps, but it is swallowed by her husband pressing his lips against hers. Lily twines her legs around his waist, her arms draping over his shoulders as they walk upstairs toward their bedroom.

At the top of the stairs, Rufus trips and accidently slams Lily into the wall, next to the door to Alex's room.

"Rufus!" Lily exclaims, hoping that they just didn't wake up Alex. Rufus smirks and rotates them to the left, continuing his path to the master bedroom. Lily crosses her arms behind his head, resting at the nape of his neck while Rufus glides his hands down her back, reaching her ass over the fabric of her dress. He squeezes it briefly and extends an arm to open the door to their bedroom, kicking it shut with his foot. Rufus gently sets Lily down on the bed while she reaches up to capture the collar of his sky blue Hugo Boss button up shirt, pulling him down to meet her lips. While kissing her, he skates his hand down her legs until he reaches her Loubouton's, flipping each one off, letting them fall to the floor. Lily pulls at the hem of his shirt, slipping it over his head.

Rufus' hands disappear behind her back, navigating the zipper right away, hearing it cascade down her body. The Kate Spade coral dress pools at her feet, prompting Lily to lift her toes up so the clothing can sink to the floor. Lily works at getting Rufus' pants and boxers off while he unclasps her nude colored bra.

"Lil…so beautiful…" Rufus murmurs, dipping his head down to roll his tongue over her nipple. Lily moans and tosses her husband's articles of clothing, groaning when she feels his erection pressing against the inside of her thigh. Lily leans back to admire her husband's naked body, his toned abs, biceps, running her finger along them. She nearly forgets that she is exposed to him, the only thing she has on is her cream lace panties. She loops her arms around his neck, drawing him in for a lingering kiss. Rufus slips his tongue into her mouth, probing while his wandering hand brushes briefly over the flimsy material of her underwear. Lily arches into him, allowing him to slide the panties down her thighs, calves, ankles, and toes.

Lily takes a deep breath in, the way her husband is looking at her, that is something that she never wants to part with. So much love, affection, and tenderness coupled with desire, longing and lust in a single flicker of his hazel eyes.

"Come here." Their lips duel once more as they back slowly towards the head of the bed. Trailing his lips away from hers, his lips meander down her body, passing between the valley of her breasts, over the dip in her navel, down towards her most intimate area. Lily weaves her hands through Rufus' hair, getting lost in the tactile sensations erupting on her skin.

Without warning, Lily feels his finger slip into her, making teasing circles around her clit. She twitches, clings to the expensive sheets beneath her, curling them into a ball. Back and forth, around and around, Rufus doesn't let up until she is wet and waiting for him. Rufus brushes his lips against hers, withdrawing his fingers and bringing them up to her. Lily wickedly smiles at him, latching onto his index and middle finger, tasting her own salty juices. She hums, releases her lips from his fingers while her hand descends to his balls, massaging them gently.

"Ah…baby…" Lily smirks; the pure pleasure emanating from her husband's face is enough motivation to keep going. She starts slipping down in bed, but stops when she feels a tug on her wrist. Confusion flickers across her features for a brief minute, wondering why she can't return the favor.

Rufus wordlessly answers her question by entering her. Lily moans into Rufus' shoulder, scraping her teeth along the patch of flesh.

Two-year-old Alex Humphrey is woken up with a start. The monsters invading the little toddler's dreams are enough to make her eyes water. Scared and shaken, Alex needs the comfort of her mommy and daddy. She grabs her favorite lamb off of the bed and carefully jumps to the floor. Using the tiny princess nightlight to guide her, Alex makes her way to the door of her bedroom. Luckily, her daddy showed her the other day how to twist the knob of a door, but only if she really needs him or her mommy. Alex thinks this qualifies as an emergency though because she can't go back to sleep. She stands on her tip toes and uses both hands to get the door open. Alex toddles across the hall, stopping in front of the door of her parent's bedroom. She starts repeating the same process to open the door, but stops when she hears a loud noise from the other side of the door. That strikes Alex as odd; she thought her parents were sleeping too.

The door eases itself open and Alex ducks inside. Her mommy is on top of her daddy, _naked. _

"Do you like that Lil hmm?" Her dad asks, but Alex can't see him, her mom is obstructing her view.

"Ah yes…more…" Now Alex is confused, what does her mom want more of?

"Daddy? Mommy?" Alex asks, putting aside her nightmare momentarily. Her mom squeals and presses herself flat against her father, then carefully maneuvers over to the other side of the bed.

_This is not happening; our two year old did not just walk in the middle of Lily and I having sex. Oh my god, this is horrible, my erection hasn't gone away yet! I could just picture Alex asking 'hey daddy why is something sticking out under the sheets?' Think of CeCe in a bathing suit…okay…there we go… _

Rufus feels himself deflate as his eyes glance over to Lily whose chocolate brown eyes are wide with anxiety and fear.

_Thank god Alex is two and won't remember this when she is older. Rufus and I should have been more careful, damn it! Okay Lily, keep calm, whatever comes out of your daughter's mouth in the next few minutes it is important that you keep calm… _Lily thinks to herself, crossing her fingers under the sheets that Alex won't ask any questions. Knowing her daughter though, she will.

Rufus clears his throat, trying to salvage this sure-to-be awkward conversation with his daughter when he realizes that his boxers are on the other side of the room along with the other clothing that Lily took off of him earlier. Great, just great, he has no way of covering up unless he asks Alex to get his underwear for him which is just downright uncomfortable.

Alex eyes dance between her mother and father. Her mommy is blushing, something that only happens when her daddy mentions something about whatever they did the night before. Alex never understood, what is so embarrassing about sleeping? Obviously her mom and dad aren't sleeping now, but what are they doing? Why do they not have their pajamas on?

"What ya doin?" Alex asks, watching her mom's cheeks turn even redder, like the strawberries Alex eats sometimes for lunch. Her mom leans over and gets a robe that is on the floor while her father smiles nervously at her.

_There is no way a two year old can retain nor comprehend anything about sex right? Let's see if I can distract her, _Rufus decides that is the best course of action.

"Why did you come in here Alex? Is something wrong?" Rufus asks, still trying to figure out the best way to get some shred of clothing on him before Alex catapults herself onto their bed. Alex's hazel eyes fill with tears again, the nightmare coming back in full force.

"M…M…Monster daddy," Alex says, a tear tumbling down her cheek. Alex hugs her lamb closer to her tiny frame as her bottom lip quivers.

"Come over here darling," Lily says, reaching her arms out for her daughter. Alex totters over to her mother's side of the bed, smiling a little when Lily scoops her up.

While his wife is busy consoling her daughter, Rufus sneaks out of bed, grabbing some pillows to cover himself in case Alex decides to peek her head out from the crook of Lily's arm. He carefully scampers over to his boxers, slipping them on quickly and runs back to the bed before Alex even notices. Lily breathes a sigh of relief, thank god they didn't have to launch into a birds and the bees conversation with their two-year-old, which would have been even more humiliating.

Alex rests her head on her mother's chest, her tears are starting to dry up. Her father has his hand on his head, facing her and her mother.

"Do you want to sleep with us?" Lily asks rubbing soothing circles on her daughter's back. Alex nods into Lily's chest. Rufus pulls the covers open wider, inviting Alex to sleep in between them. Lily scoots out of bed, heading towards the bathroom.

"Mommy?" Alex asks, popping her head up over Rufus' hip.

"I am just going to the bathroom sweetie," _and putting some clothes on, _Lily thinks to herself, but doesn't tell Alex that.

This was not how Rufus thought his night was going to go. One minute he and Lily are having the best sex they have had in a while, the next, their two year old daughter stumbles in during in the middle of their tryst. The only bright spot, and it's a rather small one, is that Alex didn't see him or Lily completely naked or one of them having an orgasm. Although what Alex saw was more than a two-year-old should ever see, but still, Rufus likes to hold onto that small silver lining.

Lily creeps out of the bathroom and goes into the walk-in closet briefly, digging through Rufus' drawers to find a night shirt for him. She reaches in and pulls out an old, ratty Lincoln Hawk tee she is positive she has told Rufus plenty of times to throw out. Still, it will suffice for now, holes and all. Lily quickly changes into a nightgown before climbing back into bed with her husband and daughter. She throws the shirt at Rufus with a disapproving look, silently scolding him for not tossing the shirt years ago. If she brings it up now, Rufus will blame it on nostalgia and lapse into a story about how much this shirt is worth to him, complete with puppy eyes. Lily will fold mumbling, "keep the damn shirt", Rufus will smile with victory, kiss her and then they will store the t-shirt debacle for a later day.

"Thanks Lil," Rufus gives her a cheeky grin, damn, he knows that she won't discuss the whereabouts of this shirt in front of Alex, who seems to have fallen asleep.

Rufus and Lily lay there, daughter in between them, mulling over the events that have occurred, or what should have occurred between them before their daughter barged in on them.

"I thought you locked the door," Lily whispers over to him with a click of the tongue, folding of the arms across her chest.

"I thought you did," Rufus blames it on her, though it's futile. Lily gives him a side glare, shaking her head.

"I was a little preoccupied _sweetheart,_" the term of endearment comes out as a sarcastic remark, typical Lily.

"Well at least Alex didn't almost see my _erection_." Lily doesn't know why, but somehow that comment from her husband makes her laugh.

"Okay that would have been worse than what just happened. Seriously, why does this happen to our kids, why us?" Rufus shrugs, maybe they were just meant to traumatize all of their children.

"I don't know, but I am going to put her back in bed, there isn't enough room for us to sleep comfortably." Rufus gets out of bed and leans over, gently picking Alex up. Alex moves slightly to adjust her head on her father's shoulder while Lily hands her husband the lamb their daughter dropped. Rufus curls an arm around Alex, making sure she doesn't fall and walks out of their bedroom. He pushes Alex's door open slightly so he can squeeze through and sets Alex down in her brand new toddler bed.

"Night Al," Rufus whispers and presses a kiss to his daughter's temple. He closes the door softly behind him and walks back into his bedroom, being sure to lock the door this time.

"Did she wake up again?" Lily asks, although she assumes the answer is no.

"No, I think she is out until morning, but just in case," Rufus points to their locked door.

"Good thinking, I didn't know she could even open doors yet," Lily comments as Rufus gets back into bed. Rufus avoids her eyes, making Lily think that there is more to this story. "Rufus, I know when you aren't telling me something."

Shit, he is busted, time to come clean. He scratches back behind his ear,

"Well, I may have taught her how to, but I made it clear that she had to knock first. Obviously, she forgot that part."

"Or we just didn't hear it," Lily quips, scooting closer to Rufus in bed.

"I think we handled that situation the best way we could. Next time, we stop to make sure the door is locked." Rufus hooks his arm over Lily's shoulder, resting his hand on her right upper arm.

"That is a good idea. Now, I hate to say it, but the mood has been killed for me tonight. I think it's just time to go to bed," Lily reaches over to turn her reading lamp off. Rufus' shoulders slump in defeat, but his wife does have a point.

"I agree, night Lil," Rufus says as Lily rests her head on his chest. Lily leans up, stamping a kiss to his lips and lays her head back down again.

The next morning, Alex Humphrey sneaks out of her toddler bed once again to hover in front of her parent's door. This time, she can't open it, toggling the knob isn't working. _What did daddy teach me to do the other day? It was some k word… _The little girl is confused as to what she should do next; she got the door open with no problem last night, why is it so hard today?

"Daddy! Mommy!" Alex yells, tapping on the wood slightly.

Rufus hears Alex outside of their room, furrowing his eyebrows slightly. Usually Lily hears Alex stir through the baby monitor and gets up with her. Rufus lifts his head up from his pillow, seeing Lily fast asleep and…shivering? First things first, Alex is going to dissolve into tears if Rufus doesn't open the door for her. He climbs out of bed, unlocks the door and swings it open for his daughter. Rufus bends down to pick her up and walks back over to his bed. Alex buries herself in her parent's covers while her father bends down to be eyelevel with her mother.

Rufus brushes Lily's tousled blonde ringlets aside to put a hand on her forehead, which is incredibly warm. He leans forward to stamp a kiss on his wife's forehead, causing her eyelids to flutter open.

"Ugh…" is all that comes out of Lily's mouth as she begins to wakeup. Her eyes come into focus, meeting her husband's concerned hazel orbs.

"Hi sweetheart, how do you feel?" Rufus asks. Lily brings the covers up to her chin, wondering why she is cold.

"Like death," Lily mumbles, twisting her head over her shoulder to see Alex come out from under the sheets, pressing a kiss to her cheek. Rufus smiles slightly and gets to his feet.

"You are very warm; I don't need a thermometer to tell me you have a fever."

This is perfect; Lily has way too much to do today to be sick. However, as much as she wants to do these things, Lily can barely keep her eyes open.

"Rufus, I am fine, I have Charles' party today to worry about."

"Lil, I am sure Chuck will understand that you won't be able to go." Lily huffs at him, bringing her daughter closer to her so she can have an extra source of heat.

"Come on Alex, I have to change you," Rufus tells his daughter, holding his arms out for her. Alex jumps into her dad's arms, waving goodbye to her mother on the way out.

Lily sighs, of course out of all the days she could be sick, and she picks this one. She feels fine, she will get over this by dinnertime, she convinces herself, trying to ignore the overwhelming nausea.

"Daddy?" Alex asks as Rufus' is changing her.

"What Alex?" Rufus asks while he is searching for diaper wipes. Where the hell did his wife put them? Ah, here they are, Rufus finds them in the last drawer of the changing table.

"Mommy sick?"

"Yeah sweetie, mommy is sick. We should help her get better."

Lily listens to the conversation Rufus is having with Alex, a giant smile blossoming on her face. Her husband is so good to her, she is unbelievably lucky to have him. Out of nowhere, Lily gags. She immediately puts a hand over her mouth, bolting to the attached bathroom, making it there just in time.

Rufus feels proud of himself that he changed Alex and got her dressed without any crying. He scoops her up and walks back into the master bedroom, seeing that his wife has vacated the bed.

"Lil?" Rufus asks, thinking that she just went downstairs. He hears his wife throw up and sets Alex on the bed so he can go into the bathroom. Rufus opens the door and sees Lily hunch over the toilet, dry heaving. "Still feeling fine?"

Lily lifts up her head to glare at him, and then bends it down to throw up again. Rufus bends down to rub her back. Lily coughs, spits, and then flushes the toilet.

"We haven't done this since I was pregnant with Alex," Lily says in a weak voice. Rufus laughs and continues to massage her back.

"I know, I kind of miss it," That earns him another defiant stare from Lily, not surprisingly.

"I don't, that was probably the worst part of being pregnant." She blanches and Rufus stands up to grab a towel for her to wipe her mouth with.

Alex swings her legs over the edge of the bed, trying to be patient. She is hungry and really wants her daddy's waffles. From the bathroom, she hears her mommy and daddy quietly talking and then a weird noise coming from one of her parents. Not the kind of strange sounds she heard last night, this sounds different. She wonders if this has something to do with her mommy being sick. Being the curious child she is, Alex hops off the bed and pops her head into the bathroom.

"Hi mommy," Alex whispers, her cherub face contorting with worry when she sees how white her mom's face is.

"Hi sweetie, I'm okay," Lily assures Alex, lying to console her anxious daughter. Alex tilts her head, clearly not buying her mom's story. Lily groans and throws up again. Alex watches her father tuck her mother's hair back while using an open palm to caress her shoulder.

"Daddy? I'm hungy," Alex says, although she isn't sure how hungry she is after watching her mommy throw up.

"Are you going to be okay honey?" Rufus asks his wife, smoothing her matted hair down.

"Yeah, go, I'll be here," Lily tells him in an attempt to be funny, but it falls flat.

"Do you want anything?" Lily raises her head up from the toilet bowl to look at him.

"A gun and some Sprite would be fantastic." Rufus rolls his eyes; of course his wife didn't lose a touch of her sarcasm even while puking.

"How about just some Sprite instead?" Lily shrugs, watching their daughter turn around and leave the room, tugging on Rufus' hand. Rufus nods over his shoulder and follows Alex downstairs.

Rufus makes waffles for him and Alex, keeping the conversation light to distract Alex from worrying about Lily.

"Mommy okay?" Alex asks while her dish is being taken away from her by her father.

"Yeah, that's what happens sometimes when you are sick. Mommy is okay though, I promise. I have to go upstairs to bring mommy some things. Can you play down here while I am gone?" Alex nods and Rufus releases her from the highchair. Alex walks over the living room to find her favorite toy, the pink tricycle she got from Santa last Christmas. Satisfied that Alex is making laps around the living room, Rufus grabs a can of Sprite with a straw and a bucket for Lily, bringing it up to their bedroom. He opens the Sprite, pops the straw in and puts the bucket on Lily's side of the bed, setting it as close to the mattress as he can. He then goes into the bathroom and sees Lily with her eyes closed, leaning against the lip of the bathtub.

"I'm awake," Lily mumbles when she hears Rufus enter. He walks over to her and lifts her into his arms. Lily grips onto her husband's Lincoln Hawk tee, cocooning herself into him. He lays her gently on the bed and starts to leave the room, but is stopped by Lily grabbing his hand.

"What?" Rufus asks, gliding his thumb over her knuckles.

"Can you stay?" Lily asks weakly, bringing him back towards the bed. Rufus is hesitant, leaving a two-year-old alone for a while is not a good idea, but his wife is sick. He hopes Alex is fine by herself and releases Lily's hand, watching her eyes trail him as he crawls into bed beside her. Lily rolls back over when she feels Rufus press flush against her. He lightly kisses her temple and draws lazy circles on her arms, watching her slowly drift back to sleep.

Downstairs, Alex is becoming bored of the tricycle. She has already crashed into the coffee table a few times, which her mom won't be too happy about. Alex wants to find a way to make her mommy feel better because she remembers her mom staying up with her, rocking her to sleep the last time she was sick. How does she make her mom feel better though? Hmm…the way her dad explained it, her mom's stomach doesn't feel good, so maybe some food and a drink will help. She abandons her bike and toddles into the kitchen, yanking the door open to the fridge. Alex spots her favorite pink sippy cup on the bottom shelf and grabs it. What does mommy like to drink? Alex usually sees her mom drinking this dark red stuff that smells bad when you get your face to close to it, but she can't reach it. Plus, her mom told her that Alex isn't allowed to touch it, so that drink option is out. The only thing she can reach is the milk, but it's really heavy. Alex opens the sippy cup and sets it on the floor, carefully pouring the white liquid into the glass. She spills a little, but Alex manages to return the milk back to its original place on the shelf.

Alex sets the sippy cup on the floor, a feet away from the fridge while she focuses on the next task at hand; food. The refrigerator door closes while Alex isn't looking, causing her to tug it open again. She doesn't understand why it is so easy for her mom, dad and her older siblings to get the door open with such ease, but again, not important. Her hazel eyes glance around inside the appliance, most of the good stuff is high up. There are no chairs in the kitchen so Alex will just have to take whatever is in her reach. The only thing that looks appetizing is the yogurt mommy sometimes gives her for a snack before her nap. Alex grabs it and lets the refrigerator close itself. Her mommy generally gives her something to eat the yogurt with, but what is it? It starts with an s….um…spoon! That's it, but where is it?

Rufus can hear Lily's deep breathing, indicating that she has fallen asleep. He carefully extracts his arms that are looped around her waist and creeps out of bed, closing the door behind him. When he gets downstairs, he starts panicking, seeing the living room empty. Oh god, where is Alex? He goes into the kitchen after he hears a grunt. Rufus sees Alex struggling to open a drawer with a sippy cup and yogurt nearby.

"Alex, what are you doing?" Rufus asks. Alex huffs and gets off her tippy toes.

"Helpin' mommy, see," Alex points to the food and refreshment. Rufus is blown away by Alex's intelligence; he didn't think his two-year-old was old enough to register what is going on.

"Okay, what do you need to help mommy?" Rufus is willing to play this game with Alex to expand her vocabulary and knowledge.

"Um…spoon…I phink…" Alex shrugs, unsure if that is the right choice. Rufus picks her up and heads over to the silverware drawer. He grabs a silver, adult-sized spoon, but Alex shakes her head.

"What's wrong?" Rufus asks, wondering why she is objecting.

"Dat one," Alex extends her arm to grab the tiny spoons she uses to eat. Rufus laughs and puts her down. Alex walks over to her collection of things for her mother and grabs the yogurt. Rufus picks up the sippy cup and follows Alex upstairs.

"We have to be quiet, mommy is sleeping," Rufus warns her, letting the door open slightly so the light seeping through doesn't wake his wife. Rufus sets the sippy cup next to the Sprite and Alex hands him the yogurt with the spoon. Alex and Rufus sneak out, shutting the door behind them. "We have some stuff to do for mommy okay?"

Alex nods eagerly, always up for running errands with her parents, especially when it involves shopping with her mom.

"Mommy okay?" Alex asks, gesturing her head towards her parent's door. Rufus furrows his eyebrows, not understanding exactly what Alex is saying.

"What do you mean sweetie?" Alex is having trouble stringing her words together, mostly due to her young age.

"Um…she lone daddy…" Alex fumbles with her words a bit, but says enough to get her meaning across. _Oh, _Rufus comprehends what Alex is saying.

"It's okay Alex; mommy is old enough to stay by herself. Would you feel better if we wrote her a note?"

"Sure," Rufus takes Alex into his office, ripping out a scratch piece of paper to scribble Lily a quick note. He tells Alex to wait outside so he can slip a note over the sippy cup.

Rufus and Alex catch a cab to Crabtree and Evelyn to buy Lily her favorite bath products. Rufus watches in amusement as Alex carefully scrutinizes the bath soaps, trying to find the best one for Lily.

"Dis one," Alex tells her dad, picking a pink bottle of Spring Rain scented bath soap. Rufus grabs it off the shelf, picks up an extra loofa and pays for his purchases.

"Walgreens please," Rufus tells their driver, setting his bag down on the car floor. Alex is busy playing with the loofa, letting the sponge-like material sweep over her skin.

The pair arrives at Walgreens and they immediately go to the pharmacy in the back of the store. Rufus searches for some Tums to soothe his wife's stomach and more Advil, just in case. Alex sees a sparkly pink box and severs her hand with her father's. Rufus watches Alex run over and grab a box of condoms, obviously having no clue what they are.

"Here," Alex hands him the box, not seeing the amused expression on her father's face.

"Alex, I don't think mommy needs those. Can you put those back where you found them please?" Alex frowns, she wanted the pink box. She does return the box and goes back over to her father. Rufus purchases the medicines and they leave Walgreens.

Rufus takes Alex to Panera Bread for lunch before they head home for Alex's nap. Rufus orders chicken noodle soup to-go for his wife which he grabs on his way out.

Back at the penthouse, Lily is just starting to wake up again. She pushes herself up with her hands, spotting the sippy cup and yogurt that must have been left by her daughter. Smiling, she picks up the note that is resting on top of the sippy cup.

_Hi darling, Alex and I just ran out to get some stuff for you. We will be back soon with soup. We love you, Rufus and Alex._

Lily grins and puts the note back on the bedside table. As adorable as what her daughter did for her is, Lily doesn't think she can stomach warm milk yet. Instead, Lily opts for sipping on the Sprite her husband brought up for her a few hours ago.

Rufus and Alex step back into the penthouse, each holding a bag. Alex is practically jumping with excitement to give Lily the stuff they bought her, but Rufus wants to make sure his wife is up first.

"Alex, let me get a tray first," Rufus digs through the kitchen drawers to grab a tray to put the soup on. Alex waits, twirling the bag of bath stuff around her arm while her father is rifling through the kitchen cabinets. Rufus takes the soup out of the Panera bag and rests it on top of the tray. He picks the tray up and scoops the Walgreens bag off the counter. "We have to make sure mommy is awake before we give her everything okay?"

Alex nods as they wait outside of the master bedroom. Rufus instructs Alex to knock on the door since his hands are full.

"Come in!" Lily yells and switches her can of Sprite with the sippy cup Alex brought her so her daughter knows that she appreciates the gesture. Alex beams when she sees her mom drink the sippy cup and jumps on the bed, bouncing her way over to Lily.

"Here," Alex thrusts the bag at Lily while Rufus sets the tray over his wife's legs. Lily winks at him and opens the bag Alex gave her.

"Thank you Alex, I love them," Lily opens the bottle of bath soap, fighting back the nausea building in her stomach when she catches a whiff of the strong scent. She closes the bottle down on the nightstand and opens the soup. She eats some of it, but her stomach is fighting her. Alex munches on Lily's crackers while Rufus shows Lily the medicine they got her.

"It's time for your nap Alex," Rufus tells his daughter once Lily is done with her soup. A pout forms on Alex's face, her lower lip jutting out.

"No, nap here," Alex scoots closer to Lily, coiling her arm around her mother's wrist.

"No Alex, I don't want you to get sick," Lily explains to Alex. Alex sighs, realizing that she doesn't want to be throwing up like her mom. Rufus extends his hand out for Alex who reluctantly takes it. Rufus and Alex go to her bedroom. Lily gazes down at the half-eaten carton of soup and grimaces. She gets up and throws the rest of the soup away before Rufus gets back.

Rufus shuts the light off and closes the door to Alex's bedroom. He goes back into his own bedroom, seeing his wife inch back in bed.

"Are you feeling better?" Rufus asks Lily.

"Yeah, much." Rufus doesn't buy it; her skin still looks flushed and pale. He walks over to the garbage can and sees the majority of the soup still in the carton. Rufus smirks at her before crawling into bed next to her. He feels her forehead, confirming that it is still warm. "Okay, fine, I feel awful."

Rufus grins, he loves when he proves Lily wrong. It happens so little in their marriage that he enjoys it and milks it for all that it's worth.

"Well, how about you use the new bath stuff Alex and I got you? It might make you feel better," Rufus suggests, reaching across her body to snatch up the bottle off the nightstand. Lily nods, sending her husband straight into the bathroom to get the water running. He comes back and takes Lily into his arms, setting her down in the warm water that is quickly filling with bubbles.

"Come in with me," Lily whispers, tipping her head back to rest against the bath pillow. Rufus hesitates, he was going to do some paperwork for Panic, but the way his wife is looking at him, the pleading and begging laced in her eyes, he finds it kind of cute.

"Fine, but not for too long," Rufus tells her and quickly strips down to nothing. Lily scoots forward so Rufus can sashay into the tiny space behind her. He drapes his arms around her shoulders, searching for her hands underneath the bubbles. Lily feels her husband interlock their fingers and wishes that he could kiss him. However, Rufus wouldn't take too kindly to the passage of germs so she resists.

"We haven't done this in a while," Lily comments, resting her head on Rufus' shoulder.

"I know, we have been so busy lately with Alex lately, we just haven't had the time to ourselves," Rufus mutters, brushing a kiss to her hair.

"Could you imagine throwing another baby into the mix?" Rufus tilts his head down.

"This is the second time you have mentioned pregnancy and babies today, are you hinting at something?" Rufus asks jokingly, although he is secretly wishing that she has changed her mind about not trying to have more kids.

"No, I am happy with the way things are, it's just every so often I wonder. What it would be like to have another baby, you know?"

"I do, maybe another boy this time, even though I would be happy with either. There is still time if you want to," Rufus suggests, trying to maintain a nonchalant tone.

"I don't know, maybe it's just the way you are taking care of me that makes me want to have another child. The water is getting cold, I think I am going to get out," Lily reaches forward to unplug the drain, sending the water down. Rufus bites his lip, there were only in there for about ten minutes, but he thinks that Lily is avoiding their topic of conversation. This is the first time since they talked about expanding their family over a year ago that she has ever brought it up. Maybe Rufus is reading too deeply into this, maybe it's just more of a passing thought than an actual desire. He climbs out of the tub first, looking down at his wife who is deep in thought.

Lily hopes that she didn't just plant a seed about having another child in Rufus' head. She isn't against having another child; it's just that she is attempting to be realistic here. She and Rufus are in their forties, trying to raise a two-year-old and have six other children between the two of them, having another child might stretch them too thin.

"Lil?" Rufus asks, cutting into her thoughts. Lily glances up to find her husband with a towel wrapped around his waist holding out another one for her to grab. Lily slowly stands up, feeling the cotton fabric engulf her, absorbing the little droplets of water still clinging to her skin. They transition over to the walk in closet, each silent as they change into their pajamas.

"Do you mind if we watch a movie?" Lily asks with a hopeful smile on her face.

"Sure, as long as it is not _The Notebook,_" Rufus tells her, laughing when a disappointed frown forms on his wife's lips.

"Fine," the word is accompanied by a sigh and a slump of the shoulders. Lily slips another nightgown over her head and walks over to their DVD collection. Eventually, she decides on _Sleepless in Seattle, _pops it in the DVD player and sits back on her side of the bed. Rufus joins in her, snatching the remote off of his bedside table and cuddling closer to his wife.

"Thanks for staying with me," Lily whispers into his arm, looping her arms around the bend in his elbow, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Of course, you would do it for me," Rufus presses play and tugs the blankets over them.

"Hmm…maybe," Lily teases, scooting up slightly to brush a kiss to his cheek. Rufus rolls his eyes at her and unhooks his arm, choosing to wrap it around her shoulder instead. Lily slides down in bed a little so she can lay her head on his chest.

About halfway through Rufus is bored to tears. He hates the romantic and sappy movies that his wife always makes him watch.

"Lil, this movie sucks," Rufus mutters, expecting a snarky comment back. However, Lily is fast asleep and the remote is out of Rufus' reach. He doesn't want to wake Lily up, but he doesn't want to suffer through the rest of this movie either. Ugh, what a dilemma. Carefully, Rufus reaches forward in bed, keeping his eyes trained on Lily, hoping that she doesn't wake up. He extends his fingers and slides the remote closer to him so he can turn the movie off. Rufus switches to sports and the TV blares, waking Lily up.

"Wha…" Lily says, rubbing her eyes. Rufus turns the TV down as fast as he can and rubs Lily's arm.

"Sorry honey, go back to sleep." Lily moves her head slightly and slings her arms across his stomach, her eyes drooping shut.

Lily and Alex wake up a few hours later, both feeling refreshed. Lily stretches and sits higher up in bed as Rufus comes into the room with their daughter.

"Hi mommy," Alex breaks out of Rufus' arms to climb onto the bed.

"Hi Alex, did you have a good nap?"

"Yup, you better?" Alex asks, mimicking her mother's position in bed. Lily giggles and tucks a piece of blonde hair back behind Alex's ear.

"A little, thanks for asking," Lily tells her daughter and tickles her cheek. Alex pulls the covers over her face so her mom can't get to her. Rufus laughs and sits on the edge of the bed. Lily looks over her shoulder to check the time on the alarm clock, if she gets ready in time she can still make it to Chuck's party. However, Rufus won't let her go because he won't believe that she is suddenly feeling better. She still feels nauseous and feverish, but a little better than this morning. Now, how does she get Rufus and Alex out of the house long enough to get ready and over to the Empire?

"Good, are you up for some dinner?" Rufus asks. Lily smiles, she realizes that Rufus just inadvertently gave her a way to sneak out.

"Yes, yes, I am. I haven't thrown up in a while, but I might not eat it all."

"That's fine, what are you feeling like?" Lily takes a second to weigh her options. She doesn't want to send Rufus and Alex too far away because that will look suspicious, but not too close that they will get back while she is getting dressed. Brooklyn seems like the most logical option, but will Rufus fall for it?

"I don't know, maybe a sandwich from that café near the gallery?"

"Okay, I have to pick something up at the loft anyway. Alex, do you want to come with?" Lily is silently cheering, this couldn't have gone better.

"No, stay!" Alex protests, hiding deeper underneath the covers. Lily bites back a sigh; there is no way she can leave Alex by herself. There has to be a way to convince Alex to go with Rufus.

"Alex, it's going to be boring here. I think daddy might need your help with dinner," Rufus quirks an eyebrow at his wife. Why does it matter to Lily if Alex stays or goes? Alex pulls back the covers, sliding out of bed to stand next her father.

"We will be back in an hour or so," Rufus tells Lily who nods. Rufus and Alex head out, but stop when they see Vanya.

"Hello Mr. Rufus, can I help you with something?" Vanya asks, handing a lollipop to Alex who accepts it with a big smile.

"Yes, actually you can. I think my wife is trying to pull a fast one on me. If you see her can you give me a call?" Vanya smiles, he always sees Rufus or Lily playing games with each other, but the doorman knows it's out of love.

"Sure Mr. Rufus I will, but I haven't seen Ms. Lily all day."

"That's because she is sick, but she really wants to go to Chuck's party tonight. Don't stop her, just let her go and call me okay?"

"Okay, I will," Alex and Rufus say goodbye to Vanya and take a car to Brooklyn.

Lily swings her legs over the foot of the bed, standing up, but swaying a little. She places a palm out, using the mattress to balance herself. Shaking it off, she walks into her closet and pulls out the gold, snake skin printed, Dolce and Gabbana dress she put on hold specifically for Charles' party.

She swallows a few Tums to settle her stomach for a few hours and goes into the bathroom to put her makeup on. She looks in the mirror and is surprised by how pale she looks. Lily feels her forehead and it is still a little warm. She applies her eyeliner, lip stick and puts a little extra foundation just in case. Lily takes one final look at her appearance and snatches her gold clutch as she is walking out the door.

"Ah, Ms. Lily, you just missed Mr. Rufus and Ms. Alex," Vanya says, spotting Lily step off the elevator. Lily blushes; she didn't expect to be stopped by the doorman. Vanya is impressed that Rufus correctly predicted Lily sneaking out.

"Right, well my husband is taking Alex to Brooklyn for dinner and then he is going to meet me at Charles' party," Lily lies, giving Vanya a reassuring smile.

"Of course, well, have fun," Vanya waves goodbye and Lily takes a cab to the Empire. When the taxi is off, Vanya dials Rufus.

Rufus' phone goes off as he is picking up their food. He checks the caller ID, smirking when he recognizes the number from the penthouse.

"When did she leave?" Rufus asks, thanking the man behind the counter while Alex is toddling in front of him.

"About five minutes ago," Vanya says. Rufus shakes his head, why is his wife so stubborn? He hangs up the phone and turns to his daughter.

"Well Alex, we have to go back home and then we are going to a party," Rufus says, making Alex clap her hands in excitement. Alex yanks on his hand, dragging her father outside and into the town car.

They get back to the penthouse and Rufus sets the bag of food on the counter while Alex stands by the elevator.

"Daddy, go," Alex tells him, pointing to the elevator. Rufus realizes that he is in jeans and a raggedy t-shirt, hardly the attire for a black tie affair.

"Hold on, we have to get dressed, and then we can go see mommy and Chuck." Alex runs upstairs, heading straight toward her closet. Rufus rolls his eyes and follows her to her bedroom. Alex is throwing clothes around her room, much like her mother does when she can't find anything to wear. Rufus lets Alex decide while he gets dressed himself, opting for a plain black suit with a gold tie to match Lily's missing dress. He goes back into Alex's room, watching her pick between two pink dresses. Who thought a two year old would have such a fascination in fashion? "Alex, we aren't going to be there long. We are just picking up your mom and leaving." Alex chews on her lower lip, deciding to go with a sparkly fuchsia dress that Lily bought her from Bonpointe.

Lily arrives at the party, checking her coat in. She spots Chuck from across the room chatting with perspective clients. Before she can get to Chuck, Serena and Dan intercept her.

"Mom, hey, where is Rufus?" Serena asks, readjusting her black strapless dress.

"He is at home with Alex," Lily lies and tries to control her queasiness when someone walks by reeking of alcohol.

"I saw my dad and Alex earlier, he said that you are sick," Dan says in suspicion. Lily's cheeks redden; she forgot that Rufus was stopping at the loft when he went to get them dinner.

"I…uh…am I guess, but I am feeling a lot better. I thought I would come and show support for Charles. Speaking of, I should go talk to him." Lily kisses her daughter and stepson's cheek, walking over to Chuck. She detours into the bathroom instead and throws up.

"Name sir?" The doorman asks Rufus who is carrying Alex in his arms.

"Rufus Humphrey, my wife, Lily Humphrey, is already here," Rufus tells the doorman, who finds his name on the clipboard. Rufus bypasses the doorman and is ambushed by Serena and Dan.

"Alex!" Serena exclaims, taking her half-sister from Rufus. "Are you hungry?" Alex nods, sending the pair off to the desert table.

"Not too much Serena," Rufus warns, hearing Serena's infantile laughter grow further and further away.

"Hey, Dad, did you know Lily is here? She said she was feeling better, but I don't think she was telling the truth. I think she went to talk to Chuck," Dan says, pointing over to his sibling.

"Yeah, that's actually why Alex and I are here. Thanks Dan, I am going to find Chuck," Rufus pats his son on the shoulder and disappears into the crowd.

Lily wipes her mouth with a napkin and looks at her reflection in the mirror. Her skin is a pale hue and she can see little droplets of sweat gathering on her forehead, presumably from her throwing up a few moments ago. She dashes some cool water on her face and leaves the bathroom.

Rufus meets Lily's eyes from his position next to Chuck. He waves her over, enjoying the shocked expression on his wife's face.

"Hi darling, what are you doing here?" Lily asks when she approaches her husband and Chuck. She leans forward to brush a kiss to Chuck's cheek as Rufus coils his arm around her waist.

"Alex and I thought we would deliver your sandwich to you in person. Although, I think I lost our daughter to Serena." Rufus glances around the room nervously, relaxing when he sees Serena holding Alex and gossiping with Blair. She does a side-view of her husband, trying to detect if he is angry at her for deceiving him. He doesn't seem to be mad, just worried about her. Rufus squeezes Lily's arm, bringing her head closer to his to see if it is still febrile, not shockingly, she is burning up. He guesses that she vanished into the bathroom to throw up when she told Serena and Dan she was going to talk to Chuck.

"Well, I think we are going to call it a night, it's time for Alex to go to bed," Lily excuses, waving goodbye to Chuck. Chuck kisses Lily's cheek, shakes hands with Rufus and goes to find Blair.

"Should we find our daughter and go home?" Rufus asks.

"Please," Lily leans her head toward Rufus as they walk over to Serena and Alex. Serena is surrounded by guys in suits who are doting over Alex. Rufus is not amused by all the male attention his two-year-old daughter is getting.

"Be nice," Lily whispers, noticing the sour expression on her husband's face. Rufus scowls, wordlessly taking Alex out of Serena's arms and glares at his step daughter. Lily hugs her daughter goodbye and races to catch up with Rufus who can't get Alex out of that party fast enough.

"Bye boys!" Alex shouts, waving goodbye to the guys that are still talking to Serena, making Lily laugh when all of the men wave back.

Lily, Rufus and Alex climb into the town car, heading back to the penthouse.

"Okay, maybe I shouldn't have gone to the party," Lily admits, clutching the blazer Rufus gave her closer to herself. Rufus doesn't say anything, relishing in the fact that his wife is acknowledging her faults for the second time today. "How did you figure it out?"

"Well, I guessed that you were going to the party when you didn't want Alex to stay home with you when I went to get food, so I had Vanya call me if he saw you."

"I am impressed that Vanya would join you in your scheme. I thought Vanya was more scared of me than you." Rufus rolls his eyes and presses a kiss to his wife's temple.

"How do you feel?" Lily sighs, her eyes flicker over to Alex who fell asleep in her car seat.

"I feel terrible; the Tums I took helped me until I smelled bourbon." Lily tips her head down so it is resting on Rufus' shoulder.

They arrive back at the penthouse and Lily opens the car door for them. Rufus stays behind to extract Alex from the car seat, carefully inching her out so she doesn't wake up or hit her head. Lily snags his hand and they take the elevator to their apartment.

"I am going to put her to bed," Rufus tells his wife, who is already flipping her heels off. Lily walks over to Alex, kissing her cheek. Rufus walks upstairs and Lily stays behind to take an Advil and then heads to the master bathroom to undress and wash her makeup off. Rufus closes Alex's door behind him and goes into the master bedroom. They undress and redress into their pajamas together, climbing into bed afterwards.

"I am stubborn aren't I?" Lily asks out of the blue as she pushes the covers back.

"What? No, why would you think that?" Rufus asks unconvincingly. Lily glares at Rufus as they meet in the middle of their bed like they always do.

"I'm sorry for sending you to Brooklyn under false pretenses." Rufus drapes his arm around Lily's body, putting his chin on top of her head.

"It's okay; I shouldn't have included Vanya in our relationship."

"Don't worry about it, he is our middleman, we will both use him and Dorota against each other from time to time." Lily tries to stifle a yawn, but it slips through the cracks of her fingers. Rufus starts to doze off when he feels Lily slide out of their embrace.

"Lil, what are you doing?" Lily freezes about halfway to the door of their bedroom.

"I was getting an extra blanket from the linen closet, I am really cold." Rufus separates from the covers and closes the gap between them, placing her hands on her shoulders, walking her backwards toward the bed. He pushes on her shoulders, forcing her to sit down on the bed.

"I will get it, now you just lay here and be sick," Rufus tells her and leans in to kiss her forehead.

"What does that even mean?" Lily asks herself when she is sure her husband is out of her hearing range. She rolls her eyes and lays her head back on the pillow, finally allowing her body to take over.

**A/N 2: That is all for now. I know I have been counting down the chapters, but I was thinking of extending so this story will have 30 nice chapters. What do you guys think? I have so many ideas that I am just not ready to just end this story yet. I was thinking I will keep writing as long as you guys keep reviewing? Let me know by leaving a review on your way out the door. Thanks!**


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Thank you so much for all of the reviews, I am glad you guys want more chapters! This one takes place a couple of months after the last one. I think I should rate this chapter as M, but it's not that bad. Enjoy!**

**Chapter Twenty Six**

This is Lily Humphrey's favorite time of the day. She just put Alex to sleep and now has that few precious hours with her husband before it's time for them to go to bed too. It's not that Lily doesn't cherish time spent with Alex or any of their other children, she does, it's just she loves the time spent with her husband, where they don't have to put anybody else's needs above their own.

Lily hears Alex lightly snoring, something that she has inherited from her father, and sets the book she was reading her daughter on the nightstand. Gently, Lily untangles herself from Alex and climbs out of the tiny toddler bed. She twists, brushes a kiss to Alex's temple and closes the door behind her.

"Rufus?" Lily asks, and cranes her head around the wall to check downstairs, wondering where her husband disappeared off to. He seemed so insistent on Lily putting Alex to bed, which struck her as odd because it is something that they make a point of doing together every night. Now, he is nowhere to be found. Lily opens the door to his office a crack, but the room is dark, the only sound is the computer humming in the corner. Rufus couldn't have gone to bed already could he? Lily reaches the door to their bedroom and tries to open it, but it's locked.

Rufus hears the doorknob toggle and Lily call out his name again. He quickly strikes a match and lights the candle he set on the nightstand before he unlocks the door. Lily is blown away by the candles strewn across the room, creating a dim glow.

"Do you like what you see?" Rufus asks, from behind her, coiling his arms around her tiny waist after he locks their bedroom door.

"I do, what brought this on?" Lily feels Rufus sliding the strap of her lilac Chanel dress, bending down to kiss her shoulder.

"I was thinking since you are leaving tomorrow, we could have a fun night tonight," Rufus says, moving onto the other strap, enjoying the dress tumble down her body, leaving her clad in an ivory bra and panties.

"I like that idea," Lily says, drawing her hand down to the hem of his navy blue polo, tugging it over his head. Rufus slinks his hand around the back of her neck, thrusting her lips on his. Lily steps out of her dress, backing them up towards the bed. She reaches down blindly to unbuckle his belt, but can't do it. She gently pushes him off of her so she can focus on the task at hand. Frustrated, she snaps the belt out of his pants, tossing it against the wall. Rufus adores the wanting in his wife's eyes as she pulls down the zipper with an air of the desperate woman. She needs him…_now._

Rufus leans on the bed, allowing Lily to yank his pants off, not caring at the moment if they ripped. He caresses her cheek, admiring the faint lighting playing on her features, igniting her brown eyes.

"My turn," Rufus whispers as they volley kisses back and forth. Lily wordlessly nods, extending her legs on the bed so Rufus can loop his thumbs on either side of her hips, teasingly sliding the panties down her legs until they fall at the tip of her toes. Lily reaches up, grasping him through his boxers, throwing the teasing back in his face. "Ah…baby…stop…" the words come out, scrambled, disjointed, and making Lily viciously smile. She withdraws her hands, rolls them over and allows Rufus to unclasp her bra. Lily watches it fall off her shoulders, tipping her head back when Rufus starts massaging her breasts.

"Ru…f…us…" Lily moans, reaching down to scrap her teeth along his collarbone. Rufus retracts his hands from her breasts, cupping them over her mouth.

"If you wake Alex up, we will have to stop," Rufus reminds her, sensing a smile blossom against his hand. Lily starts grinding her hips over the fabric of his boxers before she takes them off, his erection springing free. This time Rufus smirks at her, slinking down her body so his head is hovering over her ankles. Lily pushes herself on her elbows, speculating at what exactly her husband is doing.

Rufus answers her by trailing a line of kisses up her ankle, calf, knee and thigh. Lily snatches a throw pillow from Rufus' side of the bed, placing it over her mouth to muffle a groan; each kiss is a little ember on her skin. His lips detach from her flesh, placing his palms on either side of her, pulling himself up so he can assault her lips.

Lily glides her tongue effortlessly into his mouth, tangling her fingers through his brown tendrils. Rufus uses her distraction to his advantage, torturing her by sinking his fingers into her, moving them within her in a circular motion. He hears Lily gasp into his mouth; obviously catching her off guard.

They separate with a loud smack, causing Lily to wither against the pillows. Rufus smiles in victory, swirling them faster inside of her. Lily needs something to distract herself from his actions, so she fondles his balls tortuously. Rufus lowers his eyes at her, retreating his fingers a few seconds later, causing Lily to stop what she is doing too.

Little time is wasted by Rufus entering her, beginning slowly. Lily's body bows in accordance with her husband's, clamping down on her lower lip to trap the moan in her mouth. She doesn't think she can handle Alex interrupting them right now, especially since her and Rufus are going to be apart for the next two days.

"Oh…Rufus…" She pants out in a hushed whisper, not being able to string words together any more. Rufus takes this as his cue to up the ante, thrusting harder and harder into her each time. Her body melts further into his, trying to match his unrelenting pace. She knows her peak is near; she just needs that one push to get her over the edge. Rufus' diverts his lips to her neck, probing his tongue across the curve of it, enjoying the ecstatic whimper stemming from his wife. He nips at her neck, and Lily unravels, coming hard around him. It takes Rufus a few more powerful thrusts to join her in the euphoria, but eventually he is able to match her blissful state.

They spend the next few minutes regaining their composure, slowing their breathing down to a natural rhythm. Rufus slips out of her, collapsing on his side of the bed. Lily stares at the ceiling, that was hard, fast, and dirty, and she loved every second of it.

Rufus slinks his arm around his wife's naked body, brining her closer to him. Lily twists her head and presses a kiss to his lips.

"That was amazing," Rufus whispers, nuzzling his nose with hers.

"I know, thank you for the candles. That was just what I needed before I leave tomorrow." Lily says and frowns, the mere thought of leaving her husband and daughter casts a shadow on the tryst she just had. Rufus skates his fingers down her spine, he doesn't want to bring down her mood, but maybe they should talk about this.

"I know you don't want to go, but you did promise Chuck." This brings a deeper frown to Lily's face; Rufus might have chosen the wrong words to respond to her.

"I wish I didn't, Alex is going to freak out tomorrow when I leave." Lily really regrets agreeing to go with Chuck to Washington, D.C for the next two days. However, it's too late to back out now.

"Maybe, but we will figure this out honey, I promise. Alex isn't going to like it, but we can talk her down." Lily rocks on her elbows to plant a kiss on the corner of Rufus' mouth; he always knows what to say to comfort her. She then gets out of bed, throws Rufus his boxers to slip on under the covers and goes into the closet to grab a silk teddy to throw over her head.

Rufus holds his out arms for her, prompting Lily to slink into bed beside him, resting her head comfortably on his naked chest.

"Goodnight Rufus, I love you," Lily mumbles, her words contorted by her lips pressing against his skin. Rufus runs his fingers through her blonde ringlets, smoothing down any wayward tendrils.

"Night Lil, I love you too."

The next morning, Lily is frantically running around, trying to get ready for her trip. Rufus assures her that he has Alex under control and goes downstairs to get their daughter some breakfast.

"Daddy?" Alex asks between bites of waffles. Rufus takes a sip of his coffee and puts down his newspaper.

"What's up sweetie?" Alex reaches for her sippy cup, swallowing the food in her mouth.

"Mommy not hungy?" Alex is used to both of her parents eating with her, chatting about their upcoming day. Rufus predicted this question from his inquisitive daughter, he told Lily to eat with them, but she put off packing until this morning.

"She is getting ready; I think she will be down for breakfast soon."

"She gonna be in trouble," Alex mumbles, her hazel eyes widening. The little toddler gets scolded every time she is too busy playing to eat her breakfast. Rufus laughs, recognizing the connection the two-year-old is making.

"Yeah she is you will have to yell at her when she comes downstairs." Alex fist bumps her father and sits back in her high chair. The elevator doors to the penthouse open and Charles Bass steps off, entering the penthouse.

"Chuck!" Alex exclaims wriggling in her high chair until Rufus unleashes her. The toddler runs over to her half brother, reaching her arms up. Chuck smiles and scoops her up. Alex plants a syrup laden kiss on Chuck's cheek, something she picked up from Lily no doubt.

"Hey Chuck," Rufus pushes back his chair and stands up to shake Chuck's hand.

"Hi, where's Lily? The car is waiting downstairs," Chuck informs Rufus, walking further into the penthouse.

"She is finishing up packing, I will go get her. Can you stay down here with Alex?"

"Sure, I will teach the youngest Humphrey how to gamble." Rufus rolls his eyes and ascends the stairs, stopping to hover in the doorway of the master bedroom. Lily is busy trying to smush her clothing down in order to fit a pair of black peep toe pumps, identical to the ones she is wearing now, into her suitcase.

"Hey Lil, Chuck is here." Lily swears softly to herself and zips up her suitcase. She then picks the suitcase up off the bed and extends the handle so she can roll it out of the room. Rufus puts a hand on the small of her back, swiping the suitcase from her so he can carry it down the stairs for her.

Both Lily and Rufus are stunned to see the sometimes cold and self-destructive, Charles Bass playing blocks with their two year old. Lily smiles smugly at Rufus, proud to see that her adoptive son has changed for the better since the birth of their daughter.

"What does that spell Alex?" Chuck asks as Rufus and Lily come down the stairs hand in hand. They silently watch their daughter focus, sounding out the letters in her head before she gives her answer.

"Boob," Alex responds, causing Rufus to frown. Okay, however misguided, Rufus will give Chuck credit for trying here.

"Charles, how nice to see you," Lily breaks contact with her husband to brush a kiss to Chuck's cheek.

From her position at the coffee table, Alex spots a suitcase idling on the other side of the couch. The last time she saw one of those was when she went to the Hamptons with her mommy, daddy and older siblings. Why does her mommy have one? Surely her mommy isn't going somewhere without her and daddy…right?

"Mommy?" Alex asks, pushing the blocks aside.

"What my darling?" Lily says back as Chuck gets to his feet, smoothing out the creases in his tailored Armani suit.

"Where we goin?" Alex asks, wondering if she still has time to grab her tiny pink suitcase before they leave. Lily's face falls, prompting Rufus to rub her back.

"Well…you see Alex…Chuck and I have to go somewhere." Alex looks confused, but it quickly dawns her. She isn't going with, her mommy is leaving her. The toddler's eyebrow crinkles with worry; her eyes become glassy with tears. Lily immediately brings Alex into her arms, walking them back over to where Rufus is standing by the couch.

"Mommy…no…stay…" Alex cries, clinging fiercely to Lily. Chuck watches the interaction playing out before him silently, not wanting to interfere on this family moment. Lily feels tears prick in her own eyes, but she can't cry in front of her daughter, that would only make it harder for her to leave.

"Alex, I will only be gone for two days. Can you show me how many that is?" Lily asks. Alex pulls her head out of the crook of her mom's neck and holds up two fingers. "That's right honey, only two days. I will be back before you know it."

"Mommy, I wanna go." Alex's hazel eyes cloud with tears again. Lily shoots a desperate look to Rufus, begging him to intercede on her behalf.

"Alex, I need someone to stay behind and take care of me since mommy will be gone," Rufus says, feeling a little pathetic, but if it will help then he is all for it. Lily gives him an appreciative smile when Alex stops crying.

"Daddy, I stay," Alex says, pointing to herself with a slight smile. Lily breathes a sigh of relief, this might actually work out.

"It's very important Alex that you make sure daddy brushes his teeth and doesn't have any ice cream while I am gone." Lily makes sure to stress the importance of this task to ease her separation anxiety.

"Hey I didn't agree to this!" Rufus' lips form into a pout to play along. Alex crosses her arms and quirks an eyebrow, just like Lily.

"Daddy, listen!" Alex scolds, playing into her new mom-like role. Lily sets Alex down and turns to Rufus, kissing him deeply on the lips.

"Goodbye honey, call me if anything goes wrong," Lily says once they break apart. Alex runs over to Chuck, hugging his legs.

"Bye Chuck, be good," Alex tells her brother, then rushes over back over to her parents.

"Bye sweetheart, I will call you even if everything is fine." Rufus tells his wife, wrapping his arm around her neck, bringing her in for a lingering kiss. Alex pulls on the hem of Lily's cream colored pants, getting her parents to bring their attention back to her.

"Bye mommy," Alex says, her cherub face contorting into a frown. Lily bends down so she is eye-level with her daughter.

"Bye sweetie, I promise I will bring you back a toy if you are good for daddy." Lily hugs her daughter and then gets to her feet. Chuck grabs Lily's navy trench coat off of the chair, bringing it over to her. Rufus pulls out the handle to the suitcase, handing it over to his wife with a quick, final kiss. Lily and Chuck head to the elevator, waving goodbye until the doors close.

"Mommy go daddy," Alex whispers sadly, pressing herself up against her father's legs. Rufus picks her up, causing Alex's head to rest against his shoulder.

"I know, but we can still have fun without her. What do you want to do today? It could be anything," Rufus says with excitement, hoping to bring his daughter's mood up. Alex taps her finger against her chin, pausing a moment to think. She really likes shopping, but her dad isn't really good at it. Where hasn't she been in a long time?

"Zoo," Alex declares, looking up at her father, a wide smile stretching across her mouth. Rufus is a little surprised by Alex's choice, he thought it would be the toy store or ice cream place, but it's better for him if they go to the zoo.

"Alright, let's get you changed," Rufus tickles Alex's cheek, eliciting laughter from his daughter. They head to Alex's bedroom to dress her and then she stays in her room while Rufus goes to get dressed.

Lily and Chuck board the Bass corporate jet. Chuck's eyes slide over to Lily, noticing that she has barely spoken a word to him since they left the penthouse. He feels guilty, he honestly didn't think it would be that big of a deal for her to be away from Alex for two days, but from what he witnessed at the penthouse, he was sadly mistaken.

"I'm sorry Lily; I didn't know that Alex would have such a problem with you leaving." Lily smiles at him and pushes her Dior sunglasses farther up on her nose.

"Don't be Charles; it was bound to happen eventually. Rufus will take good care of her, I am sure." Chuck is slightly relieved, but he can tell Lily is still struggling with leaving Alex behind.

"We could still have a fun time without them you know."

"Knowing you, I am guessing this 'fun time' involves strippers?" Chuck gives her a smirk, thereby confirming her question.

"I prefer the term high-end escorts, but I am slightly biased." Lily laughs, she is happy to be joking with her son; it helps get her mind off things.

"I hate to say it, but I will have to pass. Rufus and I have a Skype date tonight." Chuck quirks an eyebrow, his interest has piqued.

"Very impressive, I am guessing clothing is optional on this little date you are having." Lily's eyes widen behind her giant sunglasses, her face flushing with embarrassment.

"That, my darling, is between my husband and me."

"Well, I might have to try it out with Blair in the future." Chuck orders a scotch from the flight attendant while Lily opens a file to go over notes for their meeting.

Rufus and Alex arrive at the Central Park Zoo and Rufus pays for the tickets. Alex is bouncing in the stroller, her eyes sweeping around, trying to decide which animal she wants to see first. Rufus is happy to see his daughter so excited, anything to keep her from missing his wife.

"Which animal should we go see first Alex?" Rufus asks.

"Don't know daddy," Alex says with a shrug. Rufus chuckles and brings them into the monkey exhibit near the entrance. Alex's eyes bulge when she sees the monkeys swinging around their enclosure. Rufus lets her out of the stroller and picks her up so she can see the animals. "Look!" Alex points to a baby monkey munching on a banana.

"Do you like the monkeys?" Alex nods at her father and waves to a monkey flying by, obviously showing off for the guests. Rufus and Alex move through the monkey exhibit and then go see the lions.

Alex doesn't seem to like the lions very much and tucks her head into Rufus' neck. Rufus quickly moves on before he traumatizes his child even further and goes somewhere more kid friendly. Luckily, there seems to be polar bears nearby so they go over there.

"Look at the polar bears Alex," Rufus instructs, pointing to one who just dove into the water. This gets Alex's attention and she starts clapping. Rufus puts her down and Alex rushes over to the glass, pressing her nose against it. They stay for a few minutes and move through the zoo. Alex's attention for each animal lasts only a short amount of time, allowing them to get through all the exhibits quickly. Rufus and Alex stop to eat a late lunch at a café near the gift shop.

"'Mon daddy," Alex orders, tugging at her father's hand, frantically pointing at sign labeled Central Park Gift Shop. Rufus rolls his eyes, leave it to Lily's daughter to want to shop at a zoo. He will indulge her though, not that he has a choice, his two-year-old can be very persistent.

"Okay, but not too long, we have to get home for your nap." Alex ignores her father, choosing to direct her attention to a sparkly pink monkey.

"Daddy, monkey!" Alex grabs the monkey off of the shelf and comes back over to her father.

"Are you sure this is what you want Alex?" Rufus asks, well aware of his daughter changing her mind rather frequently.

"Yup! Pwease daddy," Alex bats her eyelashes at her father, something that she picked up from Jenny.

"Sure sweetie," They head over to the cashier and Rufus buys his daughter the monkey. Then, they leave the zoo and head back to the penthouse. Alex falls asleep clutching her monkey in the taxi, making it easier for Rufus. He just puts her in the master bedroom and turns on the TV for himself.

Lily and Chuck arrive at the Mandarin Hotel in the heart of Washington, D.C. They are given private suits right across from each other.

"I'll meet you downstairs in about ten minutes. I really want to change," Lily tells Chuck outside of the door to her suite.

"Sure, I am just going to drop off my luggage and then go down to the lobby." Chuck and Lily separate and go into their own rooms.

Lily is very impressed; the company definitely went all out for them. Her suite rivals the penthouse with its Jacuzzi, glass shower, plasma screen TV, California King and impressive kitchen. She sets her suitcase on the bed and quickly changes into a vanilla Michael Kors dress with a gold belt cinched around the waist. Lily flips off her black heels, opting for a pair of Jimmy Choo heels that match her dress. She grabs her Birkin, shoves her key card in her wallet, sends a quick text to her husband that she is in D.C. and closes the hotel room door behind her.

**Hey, just letting you know I am in D.C. and can't wait for our date tonight.**

** -L.**

Rufus smiles at his wife's text, glancing at Alex who is cocooned around the monkey that he bought her.

**Good to know, Alex is asleep and I am watching the game. Talk to you later, my love.**

** -R.**

Lily slips her phone back into her bag when the people they are meeting with arrive at their table.

A few hours later, Alex is starting to wake up. Rufus has fallen asleep to the baseball game, snoring loudly, which doesn't sit well with Alex.

"Wakey, wakey, Daddy!" Alex exclaims, lightly swatting her father's arm. Rufus jerks awake and rubs his eyes, meeting his daughter's identical green ones.

"Hi Alex, did you have a good nap?" Rufus asks his voice still husky from sleeping.

"Yes, we eat?" Rufus sits up in bed, checking the clock. He and Alex are supposed to meet Serena, Dan, Eric and Jenny for dinner in about an hour.

"Not yet, but we should leave soon." Rufus climbs out of bed and uses the bathroom. He then takes Alex into her room so he can change her diaper.

Lily is bored to tears; the potential clients for the new hotel she and Charles are trying to acquisition just won't stop talking. She is trying to be polite, laugh at the right time, and throw in a couple of stories of her own. This was only supposed to be a lunch meeting, but it is still going on three hours later. She shoots a glance at Chuck who looks just as uninterested as she is. There has got to be a way to get herself out of the meeting, but how?

Rufus and Alex arrive at Q3, a new restaurant Serena picked out in Midtown. Apparently, his and Lily's other children are already there, waving them over. The hostess grabs a booster seat for Alex while they are being escorted to their table.

"Hi guys!" Rufus says and hugs each one of them. Rufus sits at the head of the table, instructing the hostess to place the booster seat next to him. Serena and Eric are on one side, Dan is at the other end of the table, and Jenny and Alex are on the other side.

"Hey dad, Alex, how is the day going?" Dan asks, eyeing his half sister's pink monkey.

"Good, we went to the zoo," Rufus tells them, nudging his head toward Alex.

"Did you like the zoo Al?" Jenny asks, but is interrupted by the waiter grabbing their drink and food orders.

"Yeah, we see nanimals," Alex says, holding her monkey up to show Jenny.

"Very cool, which one was your favorite?" Serena asks Alex.

"Bear," Alex says and makes a diving motion with her hand.

Finally, after three and a half hours, this meeting is finally over. Lily and Chuck couldn't be more relieved. They knew the people they were meeting with were going to invest in the first hour, the other two and a half weren't necessary.

"Thank God," Chuck says, sipping the last of his scotch. Lily nods her head in agreement, swallowing a gulp of red wine.

"Excuse me, I am going to call Rufus," Lily grabs her phone and steps out of the bustling restaurant, sitting down on a couch in the lobby with a fireplace off to the side.

Rufus' phone buzzes on the table, prompting to end his conversation with Dan.

"Hey Lil," Rufus says into the phone, a smile forming on his face.

"Hey, my meeting ran really late. Where are you guys?" Lily asks, barely being able to hear her husband.

"We are at some restaurant with our older kids. How did the meeting go?"

"It was long and boring, how is your day going?"

"Good, I think somebody wants to talk to you." Rufus passes the phone over to Alex, explaining to his daughter that her mom is on the other end.

"Hi mommy!" Rufus helps Alex hold the phone while she talks.

"Hi darling, what did you do with daddy today?"

"Zoo!"

"You went to the zoo? What did you see?"

As Alex lists off the various animals in the best way she can, Serena listens to their conversation with a hint of jealousy. She wishes that she had Rufus in her life when she was little instead of her father that left her when she was four. She loves her real father, it's just that he was never there for her and Lily wasn't really either. Serena and Eric were used to the nanny taking care of them while their mother was off with some new guy. With Rufus, Serena knows that Alex has a father that is always going to be there and she wishes that her and her brother had that.

Alex wraps up her conversation with Lily and she gives the phone back to Rufus.

"Do you want to talk to anyone else?" Rufus asks as their food is being set down in front of them. In the background, Rufus hears Chuck asks Lily if she is ready to go.

"I have to go, but tell all the kids I love them and I will talk to you later."

"Okay, can't wait, bye," Rufus hits the end button on his phone and sets it on the table next to him. "Lily says hi and that she loves you guys."

"That was nice, we miss her," Eric says. The other kids nod in agreement, even Jenny. Her relationship with Lily has gotten a lot better which makes Rufus very proud of his daughter.

The kids break into conversations of their own while eating. Rufus cuts up Alex's food into edible pieces while she animatedly talks about the polar bears she saw at the zoo earlier. They finish dinner and Rufus signs the check. Jenny leans over and whispers something in Alex's ear.

"Daddy?" Alex asks as Jenny leans away, turning to Eric to divert suspicion.

"Yes Alex?" Rufus questions, knowing that whatever Alex is going to ask has something to do with his eldest daughter.

"Ice cweam?" Rufus rolls his eyes and glares at Jenny who shrugs back innocently.

"What a good idea Alex, we should get some ice cream. What do you say Rufus?" Serena asks her stepfather with a smile. Dan and Eric join in support of Alex, leaving Rufus officially outnumbered.

"Fine, let's go get some ice cream," Rufus surrenders; it's no use when it is five against one. Alex claps her hands and Jenny winks at her, glad to see her plan worked.

The six of them take separate cars to an ice cream shop near the restaurant. Rufus knows that Lily wouldn't necessarily approve of ice cream, she prefers Alex to eat healthier, but his wife isn't here and Alex has been so good all day.

They arrive at the ice cream place and meet up with Dan, Serena, Eric and Jenny.

"What flavor are you going to get Alex?" Jenny asks, picking her up so Alex can see all the choices. This is a difficult decision for the toddler, weighing the pros and cons of ice cream flavors.

Dan, Eric, Serena, Rufus and Jenny order while Alex is still deciding.

"Dat one," Alex points to the rainbow-colored ice cream.

"In a dish please," Rufus says, knowing how messy a cone can be. They get their ice cream paid for and squish some tables together so everyone can sit.

"So dad, when is Lily coming back?" Dan asks. Rufus uses his tongue to swirl around the cone before responding.

"Tomorrow, a little before dinner, I think. I am not exactly sure when her flight is."

"What are you and Alex going to do tonight?" Serena asks out of curiosity.

"Well, we are going to back to the penthouse and watch a movie. I think Lil wants to Skype Alex before she goes to bed. What are you kids doing?" Rufus asks and reaches over to wipe Alex's mouth with a napkin.

"I am not sure, I think Blair wanted me to keep her company while Chuck is gone," Serena says and checks her phone. "Oh, I better head over there now, I just got a text. Bye guys." Serena bends down to brush a kiss to Alex's cheek and waves goodbye before exiting the ice cream shop.

"Eric and I were just going to watch movies at the loft with Elliot," Jenny tells her father.

"I was going to work on my book, but I have writers block so I don't know what I am going to do," Dan answers with a shrug.

"I am sure it will come to you. Alex, are you done with your ice cream?" Rufus asks, reaching over to check Alex's bowl which is already empty.

"Yup, see," Alex smiles, the ice cream is all over her face and teeth. Rufus takes a picture to send to Lily and then cleans her up.

"Alright come on kid, it's getting close to your bedtime," Rufus picks Alex up and waves goodbye to Eric, Dan and Jenny.

Lily's phone buzzes during dinner and she opens the picture Rufus sent her. She brings the phone closer to her face, trying to identify the substance all over her daughter's mouth. Her eyes roll when she discovers that her husband gave Alex ice cream.

"My husband is going to be sorry," Lily extends her arm to show Chuck the picture.

"I am sure you will punish him later on tonight," Chuck says with a wink. Lily pockets her phone and shakes her head disapprovingly at her son.

Rufus and Alex head back to the penthouse a little while later. Rufus helps Alex change into her pajamas and brings her into the master bedroom for a movie.

"We are just going to watch the movie until mommy calls okay?" Rufus slides in _Finding Nemo _while Alex gets comfy in her parents gigantic bed.

**Hey Lil, let me know when you are ready.**

** -R.**

Lily gets the text and sets her drink down on the bar.

"Thanks for keeping me company Charles, but I am going to go back to my room. I will see you tomorrow," Lily hugs Chuck and hops off the barstool, grabbing her purse off the counter.

"Don't play coy with me Lily; I know what you are doing. Have fun," Chuck says as he loses her in the crowd forming around the bar.

Lily rushes back to her hotel room and digs through her briefcase, locating her Mac book. She turns it on and sets it on the bed, sending a quick text to Rufus that she is ready.

Rufus' phone vibrates on the nightstand. He checks it and grabs the remote to pause the movie. He then goes into his office, grabbing his laptop and turning it on. They both click on Skype and wait for the other person to send them a video invitation.

Lily huffs and clicks invite, hovering over Rufus' name. Rufus accepts the invitation and tilts his screen a little so both him and Alex can be in the frame.

"Mommy!" Alex exclaims once Lily's face comes onto the screen.

"Hi darling, what are you doing?" Lily asks.

"Nemo," Rufus twirls the laptop towards the TV briefly so Lily can see.

"Sounds like fun; did you have fun with daddy today?"

"Yeah, see, mommy," Alex shoves her monkey into the camera of the laptop, and then frowns when she can't see Lily anymore. Rufus backs up the monkey a little so his wife is back on the screen.

"Very pretty Alex. What did you name your monkey?" Alex frowns, she didn't think of this before. While Alex is mulling over choices, Lily does a quick glance at Rufus. He looks exhausted; carting Alex around all day must have really tired him out.

"Her monkey mommy," Alex tells her mother, seeming to not comprehend what a name is yet.

"A monkey named monkey, I like it," Rufus says, diverting his attention from Alex for a second to look at his wife. Of course Lily would wear his favorite dress on her when he can't do anything about it, how very clever of her.

"What else did you guys do besides the zoo?" Lily asks and grabs an extra pillow to put behind her back.

"Eat and ice cweam!" Alex says excitedly.

"You had ice cream? Did daddy get any?" Lily asks jokingly. Rufus and Alex look at each other as if they are debating who should answer Lily.

"He good," Alex says finally, making her mother laugh. Alex yawns and brings her monkey closer to her, setting her head on it. Rufus catches this and winks at Lily, silently telling her that they will have their alone time in just a few minutes.

"Well sweetie, I think it's time for you to go to bed," Lily says, expecting protests from her daughter.

"No mommy," Alex juts her lower lip out, begging her mom to let her stay up a little longer.

"I am going to bed too, I am very tired." Lily blows Alex a kiss and Alex relents.

"Night mommy," Alex leans in and plants a big kiss on the computer, leaving a mark on it.

"Night Alex, I will see you tomorrow with your toy." Lily closes out Skype, putting her status as away to assure Rufus that she isn't going to bed yet.

"Okay Al, time to go to sleep," Rufus picks Alex up and carries her into her room. He is guessing that she is going to end up in his bed, but he will try starting her out here and seeing how it goes.

While Rufus is gone, Lily takes the opportunity to slip out of her dress. She leaves her bra and underwear on so she and Rufus can have a little fun. Luckily, the hotel supplies plush ivory bath robes, which makes the perfect article of clothing to tease her husband with. Lily walks back over to the bed, lifting the screen up to see if Rufus is back. He isn't yet, making Lily guess that he is probably reading Alex a story.

Rufus closes the book he was reading Alex and glances down. His daughter is tuckered out, her tiny fingers curling around the monkey she so cleverly named Monkey. Rufus presses a kiss to Alex's cheek and quietly leaves the room. He goes back into the master bedroom and opens his computer, seeing his wife now dressed in a robe.

"Already getting started without me huh?" Rufus asks teasingly as he sits down on the bed. Lily blushes, crossing her legs on the bed.

"I figured we could skip a few steps."

"Are you ready to play Mrs. Humphrey?" Rufus asks in a low tone, making Lily wickedly smile.

"That depends Mr. Humphrey."

"I am guessing you want rules," Rufus says, watching a warm, but oh so calculating smirk makes its way onto Lily's mouth.

"It's simple, I make a request, and you make a request." This intrigues Rufus, he and Lily have never done this before.

"Sure, since you made this little game up, you go first."

"Strip down to your boxers," Lily orders. Rufus laughs, he knows his wife would make a big move right from the start. Rufus complies, taking his shirt, belt, pants and socks off rather quickly and then sits back where he was.

"My turn…take off your robe…slowly." Lily inches the robe off of each shoulder, revealing the bra straps. She then loops her nimble fingers through the belt loop, loosening the garment, letting it slide off of her body. Lily still has her bra and panties on while Rufus is only dressed in his boxers, not fair! "Hey, you are wearing more clothes than me!"

"You are such a baby," Lily playfully admonishes, but makes no move to lose anymore of her clothing. "Start stroking yourself…slowly." Rufus glares at her and does what she asks.

"Fine, while I am doing that, I want you to take your panties and bra off." Lily arches her back, letting Rufus see her slip her panties off and holding them up as proof. This makes Rufus' breath hitch; this little game they are playing is erotic and wildly entertaining. Next, Lily reaches behind her shoulders to unclasp her bra, making Rufus suppress a slight moan.

"Rufus take your boxers off," Lily mumbles, not wanting to be the only one naked. Rufus readily complies, repeating the same process as Lily so now they are both nude. Lily smiles, she likes what she sees, it gives her satisfaction that she can still arouse her husband even though she isn't physically there with him. However, Rufus smile quickly fades and he reaches for his boxers, putting them back on. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Alex is crying, I will be right back," Rufus goes into the closet to slip on pajamas before leaving his room, heading for Alex's.

"Okay," Lily snatches her robe, sweeping it over her shoulders, her thoughts switching from seductive wife to concerned mother in a matter of seconds. She kind of had a feeling Alex would have trouble sleeping without her there.

Rufus goes into Alex's room, seeing her holding her monkey and sobbing. His heart sinks, he hates seeing Alex cry almost as much as he hates seeing Lily or Jenny cry.

"Hey, it's okay." Rufus whispers, gathering Alex into his arms. Alex crumples his t-shirt into a ball with her tiny fist; the other hand is still grabbing onto her new favorite stuffed animal.

"Mommy not here," Alex sobs, holding onto Rufus even tighter.

"I know Al, but she will be back soon. I think she is still awake if you want to talk to her," Rufus suggests, hoping Alex will perk up.

"Okay," Rufus scoops her up and brings her back into his and Lily's bedroom. Lily is waiting with a slight frown on her face, but the corners of her mouth twist up when she sees Alex.

"Hi mommy," Alex says, cuddling closer to her father. Lily can see tears sliding down Alex's cheek, and hates herself even more for going away.

"Oh darling, it's okay, I am right here. Did you have a bad dream?" Alex nods and reaches to wipe away a cascading tear with her sleeve.

"Yeah, Monkey and me can't find you," Alex explains, turning in her dad's lap so she can face the screen more directly. Rufus' eyes flicker up to Lily's over Alex's head; he can tell that his wife is feeling guilty just by looking at her.

"Alex I will find you and Monkey wherever you are, I promise," Lily reassures her daughter.

"Pwomise?" Alex asks, needing her mommy's guarantee more than anything right now.

"Of course, now can you try and get some sleep? I think daddy will let you and Monkey sleep in my spot tonight if you guys promise not to bite him," Lily says, giving her daughter a closed lip smile.

"I not do dat mommy!" Alex says, giving her mother a pint-sized glare.

"I know Alex, I love you and daddy so much," Lily says, blowing another kiss.

"Me too, not daddy," Alex chimes in, causing her father to tickle her. Alex's infantile giggle rings through the penthouse and screen.

"Night honey, we will call you in the morning," Rufus says, putting his hand on the top of the screen.

"Night, love you," Lily shuts off Skype and sets her computer on the other side of the bed. She needs a drink before she goes to bed, something to calm her down so she can get some sleep. She didn't think it would be this hard to be away from her family and it has only been less than a day. Lily couldn't imagine what she would do if this trip was any longer.

Rufus tucks Alex in on his wife's side of the bed and flips off the light. He feels Alex move closer to him in bed. Rufus falls asleep right away, being with Alex all day was harder than he thought it was going to be. The toddler is good, but she has a ton of energy, which is normal for her age.

The next morning, Alex rises before her father. She brushes a few blonde strands away from her face and looks over at her daddy. His back is to her and he is snoring, again. She doesn't know whether to wake her daddy up or not, mommy usually says he is cranky in the morning, the same way Alex is if she doesn't take a nap during the day. She had a lot of fun yesterday, but still misses her mom.

Alex picks up her monkey that is lying in bed next to her and examines it. She swings it in the air for a few minutes and then rests in the space between her and Rufus. Alex is bored, her daddy is asleep and she doesn't know when he will wake up. She wants breakfast, but her mom and dad have strictly told her not to go into the kitchen unless one of them is with her. Sigh….what is she going to do? What is something she can do to help her daddy? Hmm…wait, she could take a bath. That is allowed, isn't it?

She tucks back the covers and slips out of bed, walking into her parents' attached bathroom. She locates the bath stuff she bought for her mommy when she was sick a while back. Alex grabs it and dumps the rest of the bottle into the bathtub. How does she get the water running? There are two knobs on the wall say "H" and "C", maybe if she turns those water will come out. She twists them both at the same time, jumping when the clear liquid gushes out of the faucet.

Rufus wakes up a few minutes later, faintly hearing the sound of water and his daughter's laughter. He jumps out of bed when he sees the spot next to him vacant. Pushing open the door to the bathroom, he is overwhelmed by the sight of bubbles seeping out of the bathtub. Alex is jumping up and down, pointing at the barrage of bubbles. Rufus reaches over to shut off the water, shooting a disapproving look at Alex. Alex's laughter is silenced, a confused look replacing it. What did she do wrong?

"Daddy?" Alex asks in a tiny voice, her face marring with concern. Rufus realizes that his daughter genuinely doesn't understand the ramifications of playing with water.

"Alex, I don't think you should be taking a bath without me or mommy here with you okay?" Alex nods, murmuring an apology to her father.

"Sowy daddy." Rufus bends down so he is eye-to-eye with the toddler.

"It's okay, just know for next time. Now, should we give you a bath?" Alex nods and tugs at her nightgown, slipping it over her head. Rufus drains some of the water so his daughter won't be consumed by the bubbles.

Lily is done with her breakfast meeting, which was more of an easy formality after yesterday. She has a few hours to kill before she has to meet Chuck for her flight back so she decides to go shopping. The only problem is she doesn't know her way around the nation's capital, making finding a good location to shop rather difficult. Lily has the taxi driver drop her off in what she presumes is a high end shopping center in the heart of DC.

She is immediately drawn to Lord and Taylor and ducks her head in for a bit. Lily buys a periwinkle Badgely Mischka dress for an upcoming gala at the opera and then leaves, in search of a toy store to buy something for Alex. She finds a store called Learning Express, the closest thing resembling what she is looking for.

After much browsing, Lily settles on an animal puzzle and coloring book since her daughter has become fascinated with them recently.

Rufus has managed to get his daughter bathed, fed and changed into a new outfit. He feels proud that Alex is still in one piece following the water incident this morning. Thankfully, Rufus woke up in time before the water rose too high, he doesn't want to think of what would happen if he didn't.

"Okay kid your mommy is going to be home in a few hours. What do you want to do while we wait?" Alex tilts her head in thought, what could they do that was just as fun as yesterday?

"Park!" Alex exclaims. Rufus considers this, it's still pretty nice out for October, that autumn chill hasn't permeated the air just yet. Plus, Alex running around could suck some of the energy out of her.

"Sure, we can go to the park if you want," Rufus snatches up his masculine diaper bag and holds out his hand for Alex. They head downstairs and take a cab to a playground near the penthouse.

Lily kicks open the door to her hotel suite with her foot, she is running late. She spent too much time shopping, something that happens to her often. Now she only has ten minutes to get packed and get downstairs or they are going to be late for their flight. Doing a quick glance of the room, Lily detects her bra peeking out under the bed sheet. She must have forgotten to put that in her suitcase after her and Rufus' Skype date last night. She picks it up and checks the bathroom, grabbing her toothbrush and throwing it in her toiletry bag that is already in her suitcase. Lily zips up the suitcase and scoops her purse and coat on the way out the door.

"Daddy look!" Alex squeals, her eyes taking in every inch of the playground. Rufus smiles down at her and sets her on the woodchips. Alex scampers away while Rufus sits on a bench near the slide. He spots Alex over by the swings and flips open his book that he brought.

Lily and Chuck board the plane and sit down in their seats. Lily is happy that the flight is only an hour and a half long; she really wants to get home. Her brown orbs flicker over to her son who is flipping through his notes about their meetings. Lily sighs and rifles through her bag until she finds the _Cosmopolitan _she saved for the flight home.

The first thing Rufus hears is crying. He lifts his eyes up from the book he was so entranced in to see Alex on the ground, sobbing. Rufus throws his book down and runs over to his daughter, his jaw dropping when he sees the amount of blood gushing from Alex's lip.

_Shit, Lily is going to murder me when she gets home, _Rufus thinks to himself, but brushes that thought aside. The most important thing is that Alex is okay, which he needs to find out.

"Alex, what happened?" Rufus asks, bringing his daughter over to the bench.

"I…miss…" Alex tries to say, but she is crying too hard. Rufus reaches into the diaper bag and pulls out a travel pack of Kleenex, holding them to Alex's lip. He presses it down for a few minutes, but the bleeding isn't stopping. What is he going to do?

"Does anything else hurt?" Alex shows Rufus her arm, which is embedded with woodchips and bleeding profusely. What the hell did Alex do? Never mind that, he should probably take her to get checked out just in case. He picks the toddler up, and leaves the park, taking a taxi to Lennox Hill.

Rufus debates calling Lily, she is probably already in the air which means her phone will be turned off. There is no use worrying her, especially if it turns out that Alex is fine. The bleeding on Alex's lip has stopped, but her arm is still bleeding a little bit. Rufus pulls out a few more tissues, holding them on Alex's arm.

"Daddy, I hurt," Alex says, tears sliding down her cheeks.

"I know, but we are going to get you better okay? Then we will get some ice cream," Rufus promises, not caring that she already had ice cream yesterday.

Rufus and Alex arrive at Lennox Hill, a place Rufus has frequented too much in the past three years. Alex is given immediate attention since she can't stop crying. A medical intern comes in and assesses Alex's injuries.

"Okay, I think we should put a few stitches in her arm. Her lip will heal in a few days. What's your name sweetie?" The intern, identified as Dr. Pierce, asks the toddler.

"Alex," The toddler doesn't know what stitches are, but they sound like they are going to hurt.

"Well Alex, this will only sting for a second and then you will be fine." The toddler is clueless as to what the man is telling her, but holds out her arm.

"Then ice cweam?" Alex asks Rufus as the doctor is getting his instruments ready.

"Yes baby, then ice cream," Rufus assures her, knowing that the stitches are going to hurt her. He feels terrible, he doesn't even know what really caused Alex's injury; he was too wrapped up in his damn book. Rufus' guess is that Alex tried to jump to reach the monkey bars, missed and fell to the ground.

Predictably, Alex starts crying as soon as Dr. Pierce started. Rufus does what he can to comfort his daughter, despising himself even more for not paying attention earlier, he could have prevented this whole thing from happening. Rufus is glad that Dr. Pierce tries to move fast and soothe Alex as much as he can. Alex is given the dissolvable stitches so she won't have to come back to get them out.

Alex is released about an hour later, with a recommendation to take Children's Motrin when she gets home. Rufus takes Alex to the same ice cream shop they were at last night and buys his daughter whatever flavor she wants.

"How are you feeling Alex?" Rufus asks as they sit down to enjoy their ice cream. Alex shoves a bite as big as her head into her mouth before responding.

"I okay," Alex says, just happy to have her ice cream again. Rufus smiles softly, he gives his daughter credit, she is a tough little girl, just like Lily. Speaking of Lily, her plane should be landing soon. He is debating whether he should tell her when she calls. She is going to be furious with him and she has every right to be, but maybe if he has Alex with him it will soften the blow. Rufus feels like a failure, Lily has been gone for a day and a half and Alex ended up in the hospital. Everything was going so well yesterday, he wishes that he could rewind and tell Alex they should go shopping instead of the park.

Lily and Chuck step off the plane and get their luggage from the baggage claim. Chuck escorts Lily to the car waiting for them. Lily reaches inside her purse, digging around until she finds her phone.

Rufus and Alex have just stepped into the penthouse. Alex goes to find her monkey before her nap. Rufus sets the diaper bag down on the counter when he feels his phone vibrate. He doesn't even need to check caller ID, he knows who is calling.

"Hey Lil, where are you?" Rufus asks, depending on her answer he may or may not tell her what happened.

"I am about twenty minutes from home."

"Okay, I'll see you then, bye." Rufus hangs up right away; he will just let her know when she gets here. He heads upstairs to tuck Alex in for a nap, giving her some medicine to help take some of the pain away beforehand.

Lily furrows her eyebrows as she hits end on her phone. Why did her husband seem so eager to get off the phone with her? That means Rufus doesn't want to share something with her. If anything happened to Alex while she was gone, Lily is going to be upset with him.

Rufus closes the door to Alex's bedroom and goes into his office to think. He needs to break the news to her carefully. Yes, it was his fault and yes, he is going to let her yell at him, but he can take it…maybe.

"Rufus?" He hears Lily yell from downstairs. Instead of being thrilled that his wife is home, Rufus feels like he is marching to his grave.

"Lily?" Rufus asks, putting on a smile and walking swiftly towards her. Their lips mesh together, arms wrap instinctively around each other before they separate.

"I missed you," Lily admits quietly, nuzzling her nose with his.

"I missed you too, Lil. There is something that I need to tell you though," Rufus just decides to bite the bullet. Lily is going to find out when she sees Alex anyway.

"What? Did something happen to Alex?" Lily asks, her eyes widening when Rufus nods yes.

"I took her to the park and she fell. We went to the hospital just to be safe and they put a few stitches in her arm." There, Rufus said it, now he waits for his wife's reaction.

Lily blanches, she wasn't expecting that.

"Why didn't you tell me when I called?" A finger goes to her forehead and Rufus knows he is in deep shit.

"I didn't want to tell you over the phone, I figured it would be better if I told you in person."

"Why weren't you watching her?" Ouch, the fact that Lily even asked him that stung a little bit.

"Lily," Rufus says with hurt laced in his voice. Lily sighs; she shouldn't have said that to him after all he has done in the past twenty four hours.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. I just…I shouldn't have left. I feel so bad," Lily admits, biting her lip as her eyes fill with tears. Rufus gathers her into his arms, pressing a kiss to her temple.

"Alex is okay, honey. She is going to have a tiny scar, but she is perfectly fine otherwise. I am sure she wants to see you," Rufus mumbles as Lily rests her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you," Lily says, stepping on her tip toes to peck him on the lips. Rufus interlaces their fingers, taking his wife upstairs to their daughter's room. Alex is sleeping, using her monkey named Monkey as a pillow. Lily sits on the edge of Alex's bed and leans forward, stamping a kiss on Alex's cheek. Alex's eyes flicker open, a smile rushing to her face when she sees Lily.

"Mommy!" Alex yells, hugging Lily tightly. Lily rubs Alex's back, as Alex breaks their hug. "Look," Alex shows Lily the side of her arm, where the stitches are covered by a sparkly bandage.

"Very pretty," Lily is relieved that Alex is only going to have a miniscule scar on her arm; similar to the one Lily has on her forehead. "I have some presents for you, I will be right back." Lily switches places Rufus and exits the room, heading for her suitcase. She comes up the stairs a few minutes later with a giant bag for Alex. Lily sits on Rufus' lap while Alex opens her gifts.

"Petty, fanks mommy!" Alex flips through the coloring book, takes out a sticker of a polar bear and puts it on Lily's arm.

"Did you do anything else fun while I was gone?" Lily asks as Alex hands Rufus a lion sticker.

"Ice cweam, two times," Alex says, making Rufus blush. Lily eyes her husband, he certainly didn't tell her about that either.

"You got ice cream twice? Did daddy get any?" Alex smirks at her father, unaware that she is getting him in more and more trouble the more she talks.

"Yeah, but he snore," Alex informs her mother. Lily laughs and wraps her arm around Rufus' neck, she is happy to be home with her family.

**A/N: That is it for now, almost 10,000 words! Next chapter is Thanksgiving with a very dramatic surprise. Hopefully you won't be able to figure it out. Reviews are always appreciated. Thanks for reading!**


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Thank you so much for all of the reviews, they really brighten my day. Only a few chapters left, and this one occurs during Thanksgiving. Also, the chapter is officially rated M, it might get a little explicit, but it will be okay. Have fun reading!**

**Chapter 27**

Thanksgiving has always been Lily's favorite holiday, mostly because she and Rufus always seemed to cross paths on that day. Rufus and Lily have spent the holiday together under a myriad of circumstances, Alison coming back, Lily hiding from Bart at Rufus' loft, and CeCe stirring up trouble during their first Thanksgiving as a married couple. The last two years, however, have been better since they have celebrated with their new family, with Alex.

Rufus comes downstairs with Alex, spotting his wife dusting the sculpture on the coffee table with a scowl on her face. He sets Alex down on the couch and walks over to his wife, gently swiping the duster from her hands.

"Why couldn't we have hired Larissa for this? I can't clean," Lily complains. Rufus sets the duster down on the table and wraps his arms around her waist from behind, pulling her into his arms.

"You also can't cook." Lily twists her head to glare at her husband. Unfortunately, he isn't wrong about her lack of culinary skills. "Anyway, when is CeCe going to grace us with her presence?" Lily laughs at Rufus' lack of enthusiasm in his question.

"I think she is coming a little after breakfast tomorrow, but I am really not sure." Rufus isn't thrilled about his mother in law coming since she usually starts a fight between him and Lily.

"Well, I guess I will have to be nice to her." Lily laughs and twirls in his arms in order to face him directly.

"That is all I ask." She knows that Rufus is still upset about the last time CeCe came and Lily is too. Although Lily did lie to Rufus, CeCe had her fair share of blame with paying off the reporter. Nevertheless, Thanksgiving is a family holiday and Lily does want Alex to know her grandmother no matter how crazy her mother can be. Rufus rests his hand on the small of her back, bringing them over to the couch to sit next to their daughter who has spent the last few minutes coloring at the table.

"I wish Scott could come," Rufus says as his arm naturally extends across his wife's shoulders. Lily sets her head down on his upper chest, as she is thinking about their son, her eyes flicker over to Alex, her and Rufus' second child together.

"Me too, but he is spending Thanksgiving with his parents in Cape Cod. At least we get to spend Christmas with him though." Rufus sighs, he knows it would make his wife happy to have all of their children together, but they made a deal with Scott's adoptive parents and there is nothing they can do about it.

"I should probably go shopping one last time, Alex do you want to come with?" Rufus asks, watching in amusement as his daughter's ears perk up at the proposition.

"Yeah," Alex answers, almost as if she is saying duh.

"Okay, please go put away your coloring stuff in your room." Alex complies, scooping up the large assortment of crayons and the animal book Lily gave her as a souvenir from her trip to Washington DC. She carefully toddles up to her room, frowning when a few crayons slip out of the box and tumble down the stairs. Alex backtracks to pick up the fallen crayons and heads to her room.

"Are you sure you don't need help cooking? I feel bad that you are doing all of it," Lily suggests, aware that she is about to be mocked by Rufus. Not surprisingly, Rufus' raises his eyebrows and laughs at her.

"I don't want my turkey burnt like you burned our pancakes in Hawaii." Lily playfully swats at him, accompanied by an eye roll.

"Would you let that go already? That was a long time ago and I was trying to do something nice by making you breakfast. I am so sorry Rufus, I will never to that again." Rufus eyes crinkle at the corners, his fingertips gliding over her skin.

"I guess if you really needed to do something, you could make a salad." Lily clicks her tongue against the roof her mouth,

"Oh, how kind of you Rufus, could I really?" Sarcasm, something his wife does well. Rufus chuckles before his lips graze over hers.

"Hey! No kissin!" Alex demands from the top of the stairs, seeming to have resurfaced from her room with her favorite Dolce and Gabbana coral trench coat. Lily and Rufus pull apart as Alex quickly totters down the stairs. The toddler comes to a stop in front of her parents, her arms crossed, waiting for an apology. Lily leans forward and brushes a kiss to her daughter's forehead. Meanwhile, Rufus is once again startled by his two-year-old, he had no idea Alex knew what kissing was.

"Are you ready to go?" Rufus asks while his wife buttons Alex's jacket. Alex nods, prompting Rufus to stand up, and head over to the counter to grab his wallet. Lily picks Alex up and deposits her in Rufus' arms, standing on her tip toes to give her husband a goodbye kiss.

The elevator doors close behind Rufus and Alex, leaving Lily with the last of the cleaning to do before everyone comes for Thanksgiving tomorrow. She sighs and steals the duster off of the table, grudgingly going back to the task of making the penthouse look presentable.

Alex feels duped by her father; this isn't the kind of shopping she had in mind. She should have known that her daddy wasn't going to take her to buy clothes, which is usually something her mommy does. Alex can feel herself being lifted off the ground by her dad, being placed into an uncomfortable metal seat with two holes for her legs. She glances around the store, wondering why they are surrounded by all of this food.

Rufus pushes the cart effortlessly through the grocery aisles, stopping intermittently to drop food into the back of the cart. He gives Alex a children's book to flip through while they shop, something to stop her from grabbing things within her reach that look aesthetically pleasing to her into their cart.

"Look Alex, a turkey, this is what we eat every Thanksgiving," Rufus says, picking up the turkey package off of the shelf and placing it with the other food items. Alex twists her body to inspect the aforementioned food, that isn't the turkey she saw at the zoo when she went with her daddy.

"Turkey, rawr!" Alex exclaims as the cart rolls toward the produce section.

"Uh…Alex, turkeys' say gobble gobble, not rawr." Rufus corrects his daughter, although it really isn't important. Alex looks up from her book, her hazel eyes rolling slightly.

"Don't be silwy daddy." She shakes her head and buries herself back into book, admiring the princesses adorning the pages. Rufus bites his lip; he decides it is best not to argue with a stubborn toddler, he won't win.

Lily is done; she has been cleaning all day even though she is aware that her daughter is going to mess the penthouse up again with her toys. She returns her supplies to the linen closet and relaxes at the counter with a glass of wine. Her iPhone buzzes against the marble, causing Lily to reach to answer her phone.

"Hello," Lily mumbles distractedly, assuming that Rufus is calling to ask her about purchasing some exotic food they probably don't need.

"Hey Lily," William answers back. Lily almost drops the phone in shock, why in the hell is her ex-husband calling? What does he want?

"W…William? How…what is going on? Are you okay?" Lily hasn't spoken to William since shortly after Alex was born. The call was merely a courtesy to tell him that she and Rufus had a child together before he found out through one of the kids.

"Yes I am fine, I know it is very short notice, but I am coming into New York tonight for Thanksgiving."

"That's great," _not really,_ "how long are you staying for?"

"It's a short trip, I leave the day after Thanksgiving, but I would love to see the kids."

"Well, since tomorrow is Thanksgiving, you should stop by and see the kids," Lily suggests without even thinking.

"Great, I am excited to see everyone, including CeCe." Lily is curious as to why William knows that her mother is coming too.

"How did you know that my mother is coming?"

"Oh, she didn't tell you? It was her recommendation that I should come." This catches Lily's interest, CeCe is aware that she is playing with fire by putting the idea that William should drop by in his head.

"She did? Oh, well I am glad we can all be together." _Liar, _Lily thinks to herself, she doesn't want William to come, but he is Eric and Serena's father, but she doesn't necessarily want to prevent him from seeing his children either.

"Me too, I have to get to the airport, but I can't wait to see you, bye." Lily hangs up the phone realizing that William said her and not Serena or Eric. She is terrified to tell Rufus about William coming because she knows how he will react. Lily can't keep it from him though because William is coming tomorrow and Rufus will be more upset if he is blindsided.

William hangs up with Lily and immediately dials another number as he is stepping into a cab.

"Hey, just letting you know that your plan worked beautifully," William informs the person on the other end of the phone, who is none other than CeCe.

"I am happy to hear that my darling, I will see you tomorrow at Lily's." William and CeCe say their goodbyes and hang up, _this is going to be so much fun_, William thinks to himself with a wicked smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Rufus and Alex arrive back at the penthouse with Vanya a few minutes after Lily's call with William. Lily decides to hold off on telling Rufus in front of Alex, not wanting to drag their daughter into a potential fight.

"Hey," Lily walks over to Vanya, relieving him off the groceries he was helping Rufus with. Vanya gives Alex another lollipop and says goodbye to the family.

"Mommy, we got turkey!" Alex exclaims and points to one of the brown paper bags her dad is carrying.

"You did? Very cool." Lily tells her daughter as she sets a bag on the counter.

"Yup! I so escited!" Alex eagerly accepts a lighter bag from her father and starts unloading the groceries, setting them on the floor near the fridge.

"Me too my darling," Lily says, even though she really isn't anymore. She has an awful feeling that her mother and William are going to ruin Thanksgiving and cause tension between her and Rufus. Rufus looks up at his wife over his shoulder as he opens the refrigerator door for Alex; she looks a little distracted to him. Hopefully, she is just worried about everyone coming tomorrow and nothing more. He walks over to Lily after he sets Alex up with a bag full of groceries to put away.

"Hey, everything is going to be okay. Your mother is going to drive us nuts, but she is only going to be here for a day." Lily sighs, _if you only know what I know. _

"Thank you," Lily says and brushes a kiss to his lips. She breaks away from him to walk over to their daughter, picking her up off the floor.

"Mommy, what you doin?" Alex asks, not liking being separated from her important job.

"It's time for your nap," Lily says, walking back over to Rufus so Alex can give him a kiss goodnight. Alex wraps one of her arms around Lily's neck and leans forward to press a kiss to Rufus' cheek. Lily takes Alex upstairs and flips through her new princess book with her before tucking her daughter in, closing the door behind her.

Rufus finishes putting away the food and sits down on the couch. He is debating whether to bring up Lily's odd behavior since he and Alex got back from the grocery store. What could have changed so much in an hour?

Lily is totally freaking out. Rufus is not going to like William being invited to Thanksgiving without his consent. She hopes she is wrong, but a huge part of her knows that she is just deluding herself. She rounds the couch and sits on the cushion next to her husband.

"Rufus, we need to talk." Rufus looks up from his magazine and sets it down on the coffee table.

"Are you breaking up with me Lil?" Rufus says with a smile, but it fades when Lily doesn't reciprocate. "Okay, what is going on with you?" Lily's teeth scrape across her bottom lip as she tries to break the news carefully.

"William is coming into town tonight for Thanksgiving." Rufus swallows, first CeCe and now William? Certainly this is a joke…right?

"Um…did you invite him here to eat or something?"

"Well, I said it was okay to drop by and eat some food depending on when he came." Lily is trying to be as honest as she can, it won't help if she lies to Rufus.

"Why?" Rufus doesn't see what Lily's reasoning was behind inviting William over when she is well aware of the tension between him and William. Lily sighs, of course Rufus wouldn't understand.

"William is Serena and Eric's father and if he wants to see his kids on Thanksgiving, I am not going to stand in his way." Rufus remembers Lily saying relatively the same thing to him three years ago and they ended up getting into a huge fight after.

"Why are you defending him?" Rufus asks with interest.

"I'm not…Rufus, please, I don't want to fight with you."

"Fine, then call back William and un-invite him." Lily shakes her head while she tucks a loose strand back behind her ear.

"I am not going to do that, besides, he is already on a plane heading to New York."

"Well Lily, I don't care, I don't want him here," Rufus states and folds his arms across his chest.

"I understand that you don't after the whole fake cancer thing. I am a little skeptical of him myself, but as long as you trust me with him, I can live with that." Rufus eyes slide away from hers to look at the corner of the table as Lily finishes her little speech. _Oh my god…he doesn't, he doesn't trust me with William! _

"You don't trust me with him do you? After all this time…" Lily trails off, swallowing a lump of tears forming in her throat.

"How can I trust you with William, Lil? You kissed him in a hotel room when we were engaged and then only told me about it when I confronted you. Hell, you believed I cheated on you and were going to run away with him." Lily opens her mouth and shuts it again; she can't believe he is still holding this against her. She thought they were past this when she sincerely apologized to him a couple years ago.

Rufus realizes that he is being a little bit harsh to his wife, but he wanted everything to be out there between them. He stares at Lily who looks like she just got punched in the stomach.

"William is coming to Thanksgiving tomorrow and if you don't want to come than that's fine. However, I would think how Alex will react before you make a decision." Lily says in a freakishly calm voice that Rufus has never heard her use before.

"I am going out for a few hours," Rufus says as he gets off the couch. Lily tilts her head to look up at him, no traces of emotion left in her face.

"I think that is best," Lily watches Rufus grab his wallet off of the counter and then head to the elevators. She doesn't react in any way until she hears the elevator doors close in front of her husband and then an angry tear tumbles down her cheek.

Three years of marriage, almost four, and Rufus still doesn't completely trust her. She understands William is a sensitive topic between them, but she thought it would be a little different this time since they have Alex. There is a gaping chasm between where they were three years ago and now, but every so often, they are right back to the insecurities that divided them so long ago.

Rufus decides to walk towards his loft in Brooklyn, needing the twenty blocks to clear his head. Why did Lily think it was okay to just make that decision for the two of them without talking to him first? Furthermore, why was she so quick to go to William's side? He is perplexed as to how Lily is so forgiving towards William for faking her cancer to get her to fall back in love with him.

Lily heads back over to the bottle of wine and pours some into her glass. She mulls over her fight with Rufus, and the more she thinks about it, she could have handled this whole situation differently. She should have talked with Rufus about William coming first because she knows if the roles were reversed, she would have been mad if Rufus just told her Alison was spending Thanksgiving with them.

Rufus stops at a bench to catch his breath for a few minutes. He could have been nicer to Lily instead of jumping right to anger. Also, Rufus realizes it wasn't like Lily brought him here just to spite Rufus. William is Serena and Eric's father whether Rufus likes it or not, just like Alison is Dan and Jenny's mother. If Alison wanted to spend the holiday with her kids, Rufus would let her and Lily would have to be okay with that. Plus, Rufus doesn't want to miss Thanksgiving with his family, but he is going to have to apologize to Lily first. He gets up from the bench and heads to his favorite floral shop to buy his wife some flowers.

Lily doesn't think she can spend Thanksgiving without Rufus; it has always been their holiday. She owes him an apology and an explanation. She hopes Rufus is actually coming back because she wants to make him a romantic dinner as part of her apology.

About an hour later, Alex comes out of her room, rubbing her eyes. Lily walks to the top of the stairs to pick up her daughter. Alex tucks her head into the curve of her mother's neck, needing a few seconds to wake up. Lily brings Alex to the kitchen and uses her free hand to get the ingredients she needs.

"Mommy?" Alex asks while her mother uses her hip to close the cabinet.

"What darling?" Lily asks distractedly.

"Where is daddy?" Alex looks around, wondering if she missed seeing her father. Lily rubs her finger across her daughter's cheek before answering her.

"He went to the loft to grab something. He should be back soon, which is why I am making dinner for us." Alex's eyes widen, she isn't used to her mom cooking, that is something her dad always does. She has heard several times from her daddy that her mommy can't cook, so why is she? Lily laughs at the expression on her daughter's cherub face; Alex is wise beyond her years sometimes. "Don't worry sweetie, I am just making some noodles. Do you want to help?"

"Yeah!" Alex wriggles around in Lily's arms until her mother sets her down on the ground. Lily lets some water boil and gives Alex the task of stirring the marina sauce.

Rufus arrives at the floral shop near the penthouse and waves to the man behind the counter.

"What can I help you with?" The man asks Rufus. Rufus grabs a bouquet of daises off of the shelf and sets them on the counter.

"Thanks," Rufus pays for his purchase and takes a taxi back to the penthouse.

Lily hears the elevator doors ding and her husband walk in with flowers presumably for her. Her anger dissolves; Rufus always knows how to make it up to her.

"Hi," Lily mumbles, walking over to him and taking the flowers, breathing in their scent. Rufus smiles at her slightly, smelling the dinner she made.

"I'm sorry," Rufus whispers, not wanting Alex to overhear them.

"I am sorry too, but we can talk about that later." Lily grabs his head, leading him to the dining room that is already set up with plates, silverware and a few candles. Rufus spots Alex in her booster seat, calmly sipping on her sippy cup.

"Hey Alex," Rufus says as Lily comes into the room with their dinner, which is spaghetti with some chicken.

"Mommy cook," Alex tells her father, her eyes sliding over to the plate of spaghetti with a nervous look etched into her features. Rufus laughs and glances at Lily who is not amused. She piles some spaghetti and tiny bites of chicken onto Alex's plate and sits down next to Rufus. Alex babbles on excitedly about Thanksgiving, obviously unaware of the tension between her parents. Rufus and Lily try to keep the conversation light, deciding not to tell her about William coming since she won't understand.

"How did I do Alex?" Lily asks when her daughter announces she is done with dinner. Alex taps her chin with her index finger, making her parents laugh.

"Its good," Alex tells Lily and tries to get out of her high chair. Rufus puts his beer down and walks over to Alex, releasing her from her seat. Alex goes into the living room to play, leaving her parents alone in the dining room.

"Lily, we still need to talk," Rufus says while they are still at the table. Lily extends her hand to caress his cheek.

"I know," Lily whispers and stands up, bringing her plate into the kitchen. Rufus follows suit and they clean or put all of the dishes into the dishwasher.

"Alex, do you want to watch a movie upstairs?" Rufus proposes, figuring that he and Lily can talk then.

"Yup!" Alex bounces up from her blocks and follows her parents up to Rufus' office. Alex picks _Brave _out of her extensive DVD collection and curls up on the couch. Rufus and Lily watch some of the movie and try to slip out, thinking that Alex is fully engrossed in the movie.

"Come on," Rufus whispers to Lily, slipping his fingers through hers. Lily allows herself to be lead out of the room, but Alex catches them.

"Mommy, daddy, pwease stay," Alex pats the couch next to her where her parents were sitting. Rufus and Lily exchange glances; they can put this conversation off until later. They sit back down where they were, cuddling under one blanket. Rufus coils an arm around Lily and Lily sliding down a little so she can place her head on Rufus' chest.

After the movie, Alex tries to fight as always to stay up a little later, but Rufus and Lily assure their daughter that she is going to be tired tomorrow. Alex gives in as long as one of her parents promises to read her a story. Rufus tells Lily that he will and scoops Alex up, bringing her into her bedroom. Lily kisses Alex goodnight and waits for Rufus in their bedroom.

"Are you excited for tomorrow Alex?" Rufus asks his daughter while reading her book.

"Yup, we eat turkey and gamma coming," Alex informs her father with a smile. Rufus isn't as animated as his daughter, but he is willing to try to be civil for his wife's sake. Rufus finishes reading Alex the book and tucks her in, giving her a kiss before he closes the door behind him. When Rufus comes into the master bedroom, Lily is in the attached bathroom, washing her face.

"Hey, is Alex okay?" Lily asks like she does every time Rufus puts her to bed.

"Yeah, she is looking forward to tomorrow," Rufus says and shoves his hands in his pockets, an indicator he wants to talk. Lily reaches for a towel to dry her face off and turns toward her husband, a frown making its way onto her lips.

"Look Rufus, I am really sorry, I should have talked to you about William coming first instead of just inviting him over for Thanksgiving."

"Lil, you know William would come either way even if I wasn't okay with it, hell, he would be happier knowing that I had a problem." Lily manages to smile; her husband does know William pretty well.

"Well, regardless, it wasn't fair to you." Rufus flashes Lily his adorable boyish grin she loves so much.

"I am sorry too Lil, I said some pretty mean things to you. I was irritated that you didn't talk to me about this first and I just assumed that you were taking his side. I am scared that William is going to pull the same crap again tomorrow, especially with your mother here."

"I will be the first to admit that I have made a lot of mistakes when it has come to William, but I don't have any feelings for him anymore. I love you Rufus and we have Alex along with our other children, I don't want to lose you." Rufus places his hands on her hips, bringing her closer to him. He sincerely believes her this time, but he wants to give her a taste of her own medicine first. He severs his hold on her to bring his phone out of his pocket, scrolling through his contacts until he finds Alison's name.

"Excuse me for a second Lil," Rufus says, putting his phone to his ear.

"Rufus, what are you doing?" _What could be so important to interrupt their conversation?_

"Calling Alison, I was going to see if she is free to come tomorrow. I am sure she would love to meet Alex, CeCe and William."

"Rufus, don't you dare!" Lily exclaims and jumps up, ripping his phone out of his hand. She looks at the black screen and shakes her head at him, a smirk blossoming on her mouth. Rufus uses both hands to bring her lips to his, but stops for a second to lock the door.

"Just in case," Rufus whispers, slinking his arms around her torso while he peppers her neck with kisses.

"Hmm…good thinking," Lily mumbles and turns. Rufus smiles at her and scoops her up into his arms, lifting her feet off the ground. Lily in turn twines her legs around his midsection, securing herself against him. They swap kisses back and forth as Rufus walks them over towards the sink. Once they reach the counter, Rufus sets Lily down gently as her legs untangle from his waist. Lily drapes her arms loosely around the back of his neck, feeling her mint dress glide up her thighs until it is fully bunched up at her hips.

Rufus steps back for a second to admire his wife, to run his fingers across her soft skin. Lily slips her fingers through his belt loops, pulling him back towards her. She stamps a kiss on his forehead before unclasping the belt, throwing it on the bathroom floor. She slips the zipper of his khaki pants down quickly and slides his pants down slightly so they are pooling at the knees. Rufus grins at her, reaching around her lower back so she is hovering at the edge of the counter.

Lily giggles softly before meeting his lips again, slipping her tongue into his mouth as he blindly fumbles for her thong. He locates it and their lips break apart. Lily leans back against the mirror, watching her thong slither down her legs until it is crumpled up victoriously in her husband's hands. Rufus puts the panties in the sink and returns his attention to her. Lily tips forward again, skating her hand down the front of Rufus' shirt, stopping once she reaches his boxers.

Rufus tries not to wither under his wife's gentle touch, tries not to focus on her rubbing him over the fabric. Lily sees her husband's eyes close and in one swoop, shoves his boxers down so they are resting above his pants. His eyes flicker open by the rough movement coming from his wife. _Oh, so that's how she wants to play this; _Rufus easily maneuvers his hand between their bodies, slipping his fingers inside of her. Lily gasps, curling her hand around the cool metal of the faucet as her husband swirls his fingers around her clit.

Rufus withdraws his fingers and carefully eases Lily onto him, entering her in one fluid action. Lily moans loudly into Rufus' mouth feeling her husband smile against her lips. Each thrust pushes her closer and closer to unraveling completely. She starts grinding her hips against his, egging him on to go faster and harder. Rufus complies, picking up the pace and angling his hips slightly in a different direction. Lily digs her fingernails into his back, little half-moons already starting to form. His warm breath spills against her neck, as Lily tries to match his rhythm.

"Rufus…almost there…" Lily breathes out, her breath becoming more ragged with each thrust. Rufus roughly meshes their lips together as Lily slips into her orgasm. She convulses around him as Rufus desperately tries to find his own release. Their breathing comes in short spurts as they each come down from their ecstatic high. Lily presses her forehead on his shoulder, draping her arms loosely around his neck.

"You okay honey?" Rufus asks, smoothing down her blonde locks with his free hand that isn't wrapped around Lily's back. Lily nods and pulls away, combing a matted piece of hair out of his face. She gives him a kiss and carefully lowers herself onto the floor with Rufus' help.

"Yes, I am more than okay," Lily confirms with a nod as Rufus pulls his pants and boxers up.

"Good, I am going to check on Alex."

"Okay, I'll draw a bath, for us." Lily starts slipping off her dress as Rufus ducks out of the room. He walks across the hall to carefully open the door to his daughter's room open. Rufus peaks his head in and hears his daughter softly snoring, a trait his wife says Alex got from him. He hovers over Alex's bed and brushes a kiss to her temple before exiting quietly.

Lily starts the water running, adding some bubbles into the mix and puts her dress and bra into the hamper. She slips into the tub and waits for her husband to join her. Rufus comes back a minute later and strips, sliding in behind her. He extends his arm past her face to turn the water off when it reaches the desired amount. Lily scoots down a little bit and locates his hands under the bubble line, interlacing their fingers.

"Everything will be okay with William, Rufus, I promise." Lily mutters after a couple minutes of silence. Rufus drops a kiss onto the crown of her head, he appreciates her attempt at consoling him, but a part of him is still hesitant about her ex-husband coming tomorrow. Rufus doesn't know what to say back to her. Somehow, he doesn't think 'sorry honey, but I can't guarantee that I won't punch your ex-husband in the face' is the appropriate response.

"I hope so," Rufus mumbles, pressing a kiss to the back of her head. Lily lets them fall into a comfortable silence for a couple moments, afraid that she will ruin their moment. She hopes that Rufus understands that whatever William does tomorrow, she has no control over. Lily appreciates that Rufus loves her enough to get jealous over William, but not so jealous that he takes it out on her.

"You ready to get out?" Lily asks, feeling Rufus nod against her head. Lily bends to pull the drain up, sending the water away. Rufus stands up first to get them towels, handing one to Lily.

Across town, William steps out of JFK Airport to hail a taxi to his hotel. One of Blair's minions sees him and sends in a tip to Gossip Girl.

**It looks like our favorite doctor is coming into town for Thanksgiving, I wonder if he is making a house call tomorrow. Enjoy your turkey and stuffing Serena, served up with an extra side of daddy issues.**

Serena hits the power button of her iPhone with a grimace. She is hoping that this is just another rumor started by someone with too much time on her hands. Surely her mother would tell her if her father is coming into town…

Lily slips under the covers beside her husband, immediately moving towards him so she can sleep on his chest like she does every night. Rufus envelops her in his arms and stamps a kiss to her temple.

"Night Rufus, I love you," Lily mutters, already seeming to succumb to exhaustion.

"Night Lil, love you too."

The next morning, breakfast runs smoothly. Rufus makes Alex and Lily some waffles as usual, with Alex practically bouncing in her chair.

"It's Fanksgivin!" Alex tells her parents and shoves a bite of waffle in her mouth, getting syrup all over her lips. Lily laughs and grabs her napkin to wipe off her daughter's face.

"She's not excited at all," Lily quips, looking over to Rufus who smiles against the lip of his coffee mug.

"Not one bit," Rufus remarks, unsure why his daughter is so excited, it's not like Alex is getting any presents or anything. If this is any indication of how Christmas is going to go, Rufus is a little scared. Lily unbuckles Alex from the booster seat and leaves her to go into the living room to play. She then helps Rufus pick up the dishes from breakfast.

"What time are people getting here?" Lily asks while Rufus starts preparing the turkey.

"I think we said that we were eating around two, but I don't remember." Lily nods, and heads into the living room, scooping her daughter up along the way. She brings Alex into her bedroom so she can change and dress her daughter.

"Mommy, I like dis," Alex asks as she stands stark naked in front of her closet, pointing to a gray and white floral Chloe dress.

"Okay darling," Lily stands on her tip toes to grab the dress, and then picks Alex up, setting her down the changing table.

"Mommy, gamma come soon?" Alex asks while she lifts her legs up so Lily can slide the diaper under her.

"Yup and Serena, Dan, Jenny and Eric are coming too."

"No Chuck?" Alex asks, disappointment marring her previous upbeat tone. Lily notices the shift in her daughter's mood; she didn't know that Alex liked him so much.

"I don't know sweetie, but we can call and ask him." Lily stands Alex up so she can slip the dress over her daughter's head.

"Mommy, we need to," Alex tells Lily, putting her hand on her hip. Lily laughs at her little girl and uses her arm to pick Alex up, setting her on the ground.

"We will, I promise, but I have to go get dressed first and I think daddy wants your help with the turkey." Alex's eyes twinkle with excitement and she runs out of her room, stopping at the stairs to turn around and slide down them. Lily goes into the master bedroom, takes her phone off the charger and texts her son.

** My daughter is requesting your presence; I hope you can stop by for a quick visit. If not, Happy Thanksgiving Charles, I love you and will see you soon.**

** -L.**

Lily pockets her phone and checks the time, it's a little after ten. Alex slept in more than usual today which gave Rufus and Lily the chance to sleep in too. Breakfast got off to a late start as well, mostly because Alex insisted on them making sure they had everything they needed for Thanksgiving.

As Alex gets older, Lily realizes that although her daughter may look like her, she definitely has her husband's personality. She is stubborn like the both of them, but is always warm and receptive to people, no matter who they may be. Of course, Alex is only two so it is kind of hard to tell, but Lily hopes that their daughter never loses the ability to see the best in people, a trait that Lily never had.

Downstairs, Alex is helping with making the mash potatoes when the elevator doors open, revealing CeCe and her three suitcases. Alex literally throws the bowl aside and rushes over to her grandmother.

"Hi gamma!" Alex exclaims, hugging CeCe's legs. Rufus waves to CeCe and shakes his head at his mother in laws luggage. Lily said she was only going to be here until tomorrow, how could she need three suitcases? CeCe picks the toddler up and walks over to Rufus, brushing a kiss to his cheek.

"Hello CeCe, nice to see you," Rufus separates from his mother in law and turns so he can slide the turkey into the oven.

"Hello Rufus, it's great to see you too. Why isn't my daughter down here, helping you with the food?" Rufus resists the urge to roll his eyes; CeCe has been here for less than five minutes and is already asking about their relationship in her own, special, roundabout way.

"Don't be ridiculous CeCe; you know your daughter's cooking skills. I am not allowing her in the kitchen today unless she wants to grab a drink."

Lily hears muffled voices coming from downstairs and assumes that her husband is chatting with her mother. She is crossing her fingers that their talk is going well as she zips up her violet Rachel Zoe dress. Lily comes downstairs and gives her mother a kiss on the cheek before standing next to her husband on the other side of the counter.

"Rufus and I were just talking about your cooking skills darling. It seems like you don't have them," CeCe says and puts Alex down. Lily shrugs,

"Well I never had the opportunity to learn mother. Luckily Rufus can cook otherwise I don't know what we would do." Lily tilts her head at her husband and winks at him.

"So, when is William coming?" CeCe asks out of curiosity.

"Actually, mother I wanted to talk to you about that. Do you mind keeping an eye on Alex while you cook, Rufus?" Rufus shakes his head, he is guessing that his wife is going to yell at her mother and doesn't want to do it in front of Alex. CeCe follows Lily into Serena's old room and closes the door behind them.

"What's going on Lily?"

"Why did you tell William that it was okay to stop by without asking me first? You know that Rufus and William don't get along at all." CeCe anticipated this question from Lily, William was adamant that he would tell her whose idea it really was.

"Oh darling please, he is Serena and Eric's father. Besides, I knew if I asked you beforehand than you would say no." CeCe puts her hand on Lily's cheek and walks out the door. Lily heavily sighs; if her mother knew that she was not going to like the idea, why go through with it? The only explanation Lily can think of is her mother likes to screw with everything that moves, so getting William and Rufus in a room together is the perfect entertainment for her. CeCe doesn't actually think that Lily would fall in love with William again in a day, does she? Regardless of what her mother's motives are, Lily has to do damage control all day which isn't going to be fun.

"So, Rufus, what do you think of William coming?" CeCe asks as Lily rejoins them in the kitchen. Rufus looks to Lily, wondering why his mother in law is baiting him already.

"Well…I am not too thrilled about it," Rufus says, trying to be honest without getting himself into trouble.

"We both aren't too excited about it," Lily says, looking directly at her mother. For whatever reason, this makes CeCe laugh.

"I think it's going to be fun. I haven't seen William in a long time and it will be good to catch up with him." Rufus and Lily both furrow their eyebrows at CeCe, confused as to what the hell she is talking out.

Serena and Eric are the first to arrive about an hour later while everyone else is still talking amongst themselves in the kitchen. Alex has migrated with her coloring book to the living room, bored by the idle chit chatter surrounding her.

"Hey grandma," Serena says, kissing her grandmother on the cheek. Eric hugs CeCe and goes into the living room to steal Alex.

"Hi Ewic, Sewena," Alex says and reaches out of her half brother's arms towards her half sister. Serena picks her up and balances Alex on her hip. Alex is busy fiddling with Serena's necklace while CeCe gives Lily a look, silently asking if they know about their father coming today.

"Hi Eric and Serena, I have something to tell you." Lily starts, glancing over shoulder at Rufus who nods.

"Oh god, are you pregnant?" Eric asks Lily.

"What? No, no my darling, I am most definitely not. Actually, I just wanted to tell you guys that your father is coming for dinner today." Serena and Eric exchange looks and then look over at Rufus. Rufus walks over to the group, wrapping his arm around Lily's waist, showing the kids that he reluctantly supports his wife.

"So the Gossip Girl blast was true. That's good that he is coming, I guess." Serena says and Eric nods.

"Yeah, I mean we haven't seen him in a while, so that's good that he is stopping by today," Eric says halfheartedly, he still hasn't completely forged a relationship with his father yet.

"See, I told you Lily, the kids are looking forward to seeing their father," CeCe says, earning a glare from Lily.

"Right well, I am going to put Alex down for a quick nap." Lily holds her arms out, but her daughter buries her head in Serena's teal peplum tank top. Lily bites the inside of her cheek; she is hoping that Alex doesn't throw a tantrum, which would be the last thing she needs right now.

"I not tired," Alex protests, wrapping her arms around Serena's neck.

"Lil, it's not worth the fight today," Rufus whispers in her ear. Lily relents, he is right, Alex isn't going down easily. Besides, Lily knows that her daughter will end up falling asleep on the couch after they eat anyway.

"Fine, but you are going to bed early tonight," Lily shoots a stern look at her youngest daughter. Alex high fives Serena as Lily rolls her eyes.

"Has anyone talked to my kids?" Rufus asks Serena and Eric.

"Yes, Dan said he and Jenny were stopping at the store to get some marshmallows to put in the sweet potatoes before coming here. They should be here really soon."

"Great does anyone want anything to drink?" Lily asks. Serena sets Alex down and accepts an empty wine glass from her mother. Eric grabs a soda and sees his grandma swipe the gin bottle from the liquor cabinet.

Twenty minutes later everyone is gathered in the living room when Dan and Jenny walk in.

"Hey kids," Rufus gets up from his seat on the couch next to Lily to hug his kids. He accepts the marshmallows from Jenny and leads her into the kitchen. Dan hugs Lily, Serena and CeCe.

"Hi Dan!" Alex says from her position on Lily's lap. Dan smiles at his half sister and high fives her, which seems to be Alex's new thing.

"How nice to see you Daniel," CeCe says and takes a sip of her gin.

"You too CeCe, it's been a while." Dan sits where Rufus was and talks to Serena about his book. The elevator doors open once more to reveal Chuck and Blair. Alex's face immediately lights up and she scurries out of Lily's lap. She runs around the couch to hug her sibling.

"Hi Chuck!" Alex exclaims excitedly. Chuck picks up the toddler and they walk into the living room. Blair hands a pie over to Lily and sits next to Serena.

"I didn't know you guys were coming. Do you want anything to drink?" Lily asks her son and Blair.

"No, we can't stay that long. I got your text and thought we could stop by on the way to Eleanor's." Chuck answers his mother, still holding onto Alex. Lily smiles at her son, he really has changed and seems to want to participate in family events.

"Well I know you made Alex very happy," Lily says to Chuck.

"Hey Chuck, you eatin turkey?" Alex asks, pointing to her father and half sister who are cooking in the kitchen.

"Not here Alex, we are going to Blair's for Thanksgiving. However, we brought you a pie." Alex turns in Chuck's arms to see the pie perched on the counter.

"Okay," Alex says with a sigh. Chuck sets Alex down and she runs to her room to show him her favorite stuffed animal, the monkey named Monkey. Lily talks to Chuck until she hears her phone ring.

"Excuse me Charles," Lily gets up from the couch, pulls her dress down and walks over to the phone to see who is calling her. She frowns when she sees it is William, but picks is up anyway.

"Lily, hello, I am on my way. I just had to stop to get a gift first," William tells his ex-wife. Lily bites back a sigh; she hopes he didn't buy her flowers.

"Great, we are almost ready to eat. I'll see you when you get here." Lily hangs up with William and taps her fingernails on her phone case. This Thanksgiving is about to get incredibly awkward. Lily goes back into the living room and reclaims her seat.

"Was that William darling?" CeCe asks Lily, breaking her conversation with Serena and Blair.

"Yes, he will be here soon," Lily tells her mother, grimacing at the shocked look on Chuck, Blair and Dan's face.

"Lovely," CeCe remarks and turns back to her conversation. Dan excuses himself from the group and goes into the kitchen.

"Dad, can I talk to you for a second?" Dan asks Rufus who nods, knowing exactly what his son wants to talk to him about.

"Sure, Jenny, you might as well come too," Rufus tells his daughter, not wanting to have the same conversation twice. Jenny furrows her eyebrows and wipes her hands on a dish towel. Dan, Jenny and Rufus walk into the dining room where everything is all set up for dinner.

"Why is William coming here?" Dan asks bluntly.

"What?" Jenny asks in astonishment. She has been nervous about being around William ever since she conspired with him to break up Rufus and Lily. What she did destroyed her relationship with Lily and almost ended her father's marriage; she doesn't want that to happen again.

"Don't worry, Lily and I talked about it. I don't necessarily like that he is coming here, but he is Serena and Eric's father." Rufus doesn't know why he it sounds like he is defending William, that is the last thing he wants to do. However, he doesn't want his kids being mad at Lily for something that wasn't entirely her fault even though he did that very thing yesterday.

"I am guessing that this was CeCe's idea," Dan says.

"You dated Serena, you know how CeCe can be," Rufus tries to push the blame away from his wife.

"Yes, I do. The Upper East Side grandparents are not to be messed with. However, Jenny and I will be sure to keep an eye on William, right Jen?" Dan turns to his sister.

"Of course," Jenny assures her father and the three of them walk back into the kitchen and living room.

"Blair we should go," Chuck tells her, not wanting to be here for William's arrival. He despises William for making him think that Lily was going to die. Chuck doesn't think he will be able to control himself around William and he doesn't want to upset Lily so it would be better for everyone if they just left.

"Okay fine bye S, call me later." Blair hugs Serena goodbye and waves to everyone. Alex gives Chuck a kiss on the cheek and hugs Blair. The toddler then comes over by her mother and jumps into her lap.

"Mommy, Chuck go," Alex says sadly, jutting her lower lip out. Lily brushes back a cascading ringlet from Alex's bun and wraps her arms around her daughter.

"I know darling, but we will see him again real soon." Alex seems to accept this and nods against Lily's dress. Rufus and Jenny wrap up their cooking in the kitchen and join everyone in the living room.

William breezes through the penthouse a little while later carrying a bottle of wine. Rufus' mood immediately shifts, but he desperately tries to hide it. Lily hands Alex over to Rufus so she, Serena, CeCe and Eric can greet him. Dan, Jenny, Rufus and Alex hang back a little bit.

"Go say hi," Rufus whispers to his kids and motions with his head towards William.

"You first," Dan mumbles back and Jenny nods in agreement. Rufus gets off the couch, still keeping a firm hold on Alex.

"Oh thank you William," Rufus hears his wife say as she graciously accepts a bottle of wine. William kisses Lily on the cheek, being sure to look right at Rufus when he does it. Rufus lets out an irritated sigh; he can already tell CeCe is over the moon that this encounter is happening.

"Whos dat daddy?" Alex asks while Dan and Eric shake William's hand. Alex doesn't understand how a man who she has never seen before can make her daddy so mad. Who is he? What's he doing here? Why does he have his arm wrapped around mommy? That is something daddy usually does, maybe that is why he looks upset.

William hears Alex's question to Rufus and walks over to the little girl, who is being held by her father.

"Rufus,"

"William," monosyllabic greetings and forced handshakes are exchanged between the pair. Alex is still a little wary of William who offers a hand for her to shake.

"Who you?" Alex asks William brusquely, making Rufus smile a little bit.

"My name is William, what's yours?"

"Alex," the toddler answers simply, not being her usual chatterbox self. Lily walks over to them and stands by Rufus.

"Alex this is Serena and Eric's dad," Lily doesn't know how to explain the concept of half siblings and ex-husbands to her two year old, so she decides to keep it simple. William can tell Alex more if he wants to.

"She is beautiful Lily," William tells her.

"Thank you William. Now, why don't we open the glass of wine and you can tell us all about your trip to India." Lily gently pushes the group into the living room, but hangs back with Rufus and Alex. Rufus puts Alex down so he can have a moment alone with his wife.

"You play a very good hostess," Rufus tells her, placing his hands on her hips.

"Good, I was hoping my act was convincing enough. Are you okay? I noticed the look on her face the moment he walked in."

"Look? What look? I don't have a look," Rufus tries to defend himself, but Lily can see cut right through his bullshit.

"You definitely do, I think even our two-year-old saw it."

"Fine, I am trying to be okay with him being here." Lily smiles at him, she loves when he admits that she is right.

"I thought so, but don't worry, I will make it up to you."

"You will? How?" Rufus is caught off guard by Lily thrusting her lips on his.

"Oh a little of this," Lily mumbles against his lips.

"That's all?" Lily shakes her head and pulls back, grabbing his hand instead.

"For now, yes," Lily and Rufus separate with Lily going back into the living room and Rufus going into the kitchen to check to make sure everything is ready.

"Okay, you guys can start grabbing the food and bringing it to the table." Rufus announces to everyone, causing the group to get up and grab a dish before they go into the dining room. Alex gets off Lily's lap and walks over to her father.

"Daddy, I poop," Alex tells her dad, pointing to her diaper. Rufus wishes that Alex was old enough to be potty trained, it would make his life a lot easier.

"Okay sweetie, let's go change you," Rufus scoops up and his daughter, walking upstairs and into Alex's bedroom.

"Daddy?" Alex asks Rufus while he is by changing her diaper.

"What Alex?" Rufus asks as he straps the sides of his daughter's diaper to the front of it.

"You not like Wilwam?" Alex asks out of curiosity. Rufus looks down at his daughter, how could she have possibly picked up on that? He doesn't know how to answer his daughter, he doesn't want to color her view of William, but he does want to be honest.

"Alex, I will tell you some stories when you are older about your mom and William. However, we should be nice to him okay?" Alex nods and Rufus picks her back up, bringing her back downstairs into the dining room where everyone is already seated. Of course William and CeCe are sitting on either side of Lily who is at the head of the table. Serena and Eric are on William's side while Dan and Jenny are sitting next to CeCe. The spot at the other end of the table is left open for Rufus with Alex's booster seat next to Lily's chair. Rufus swallows a rude comment and buckles Alex in, shooting Lily a "what the hell" look over his shoulder.

Lily is busy talking to William when she gets Rufus' look. She shrugs at him, hoping that he isn't mad. She tried to keep a seat open for him, but William sat down in it. Dan and Jenny look to their father, wondering what he is going to do about the seating chart situation. Rufus shakes their head at them, telling them It's not even worth picking a fight over. He is trying to be the bigger person, but William is making it really hard.

The way they are seated now reminds Lily of the Thanksgiving three years ago when her and Rufus were sitting at opposite ends of the table and her mother sat next to Rufus, trying to spill Lily's big secret. Lily hid out in Rufus' office, drinking, until Rufus came in to talk to her. That was a terrible Thanksgiving, but it didn't hold a candle to the one with Alison.

"Lily, did you hear what I said?" William asks her, putting his hand over hers. Lily jumps at the contact and slides her hand from under his to get a drink of wine.

"No, sorry, what did you say?" William smiles at her, thinking the confused look on her face is kind of cute.

"I asked you how Alex is doing." Lily's face lights up, she loves talking about her children.

"She is great, a lot smarter than she should be for her age. She told Rufus and me to stop kissing yesterday," Lily is sure to throw Rufus' name around to remind William who she is with. William tries not to frown at Lily's mention of Rufus who seems to be pouting at the other end of the table.

"You should see how she acts around Chuck, I think she has a little crush on him," CeCe adds in, steering the conversation away from Rufus.

"How's the business going?" William asks.

Rufus can hear his wife, William and CeCe chatting away while he talks to Dan.

"Dad? Are you okay? I can tell you aren't listening to a word I am saying," Dan says.

"What? Of course I am son, something about your book right?" Dan shakes his head, knowing exactly where his dad's mind is at. He follows Rufus' eyes over to William who has his arm draped on Lily's armrest. Lily either doesn't seem to mind or doesn't notice it because she isn't doing anything about it.

"Do you want me to slip something into his drink?" Dan asks.

"How very CeCe-like of you, but no, I don't think that will be necessary." Rufus puts some more food on his plate.

"Mommy, milk pwease?" Alex asks Lily and waves her empty sippy cup in the air.

"Okay sweetie," Lily takes the cup from her daughter and backs up her chair. Lily goes into the kitchen and leans against the fridge, needing a few moments to collect herself. Why is William making this so difficult for her? Why can't she just be normal around him?

CeCe tilts her head at William towards the kitchen, telling him to get up and go after Lily. Dan catches the gesture and whispers in Rufus' ear. Rufus raises his eyebrows, but is going to hold off for a minute. William pushes back his chair and goes into the kitchen, spotting Lily pouring some juice into Alex's sippy cup. He walks closer to her, letting only a few centimeters separate them.

"William! You scared me, do you need something?" Lily asks, wondering why he is in here with her and why he is standing so close.

"No, I just wanted to ask if you…had some different wine." Lily closes the lid to Alex's cup and walks over to the liquor cabinet, coming back with a fresh bottle.

"This used to be your favorite," Lily hands him the bottle with a somewhat nostalgic grin on her face.

Rufus is starting to get nervous; William in a room alone with Lily is never a good sign.

"I am going to go check on them," Rufus whispers to Dan, pushing his chair back as well. CeCe notices Rufus get up and frowns, he is ruining her plan.

Rufus does not like what he sees when he walks into the kitchen. William has one hand on Lily's cheek, caressing it with his thumb; the other is holding the wine bottle. Lily isn't making any move to back away; she is actually leaning into his touch. What the hell? Rufus loudly clears his throat, prompting the pair to break away from each other.

"Rufus, hi," Lily says, hoping that she isn't blushing. Rufus doesn't say anything to her and takes the sippy cup off of the counter. Lily tries to walk over to him, but he brushes her off, choosing to go back into the dining room instead.

**A/N 2: Well, that is all for now! Next chapter is the second part of Thanksgiving where Lily tries to talk to Rufus and they play a trick on William. It's going to be really fun, I promise. Please leave a review on your way out and thanks so much for reading!**


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Here I am, once again, feeling eternally grateful for every single review I have received. You guys are amazing and make writing so worth it to me. Anyway, enough of that, this chapter is rated M for sure, and I hope everyone enjoys it!**

**Chapter Twenty Eight**

_Rufus does not like what he sees when he walks into the kitchen. William has one hand on Lily's cheek, caressing it with his thumb; the other is holding the wine bottle. Lily isn't making any move to back away; she is actually leaning into his touch. What the hell? Rufus loudly clears his throat, prompting the pair to break away from each other. _

_ "Rufus, hi," Lily says, hoping that she isn't blushing. Rufus doesn't say anything to her and takes the sippy cup off of the counter. Lily tries to walk over to him, but he brushes her off, choosing to go back into the dining room instead. _

Rufus didn't want to be right, not about this, not about his wife and her ex-husband. This is why he got so upset when Lily told him William was coming to town, because of what he just witnessed in the kitchen between the two of them. He goes back into the dining room with a frown on his face; it is a safe bet to say that his Thanksgiving has officially been ruined and maybe his marriage too. He is furious with Lily for allowing this to happen, for allowing William to come between them again. What would have happened if he hadn't interrupted them? He wants to leave, to run to the loft and pretend this whole day never happened. However, he can't just leave his kids there with the mess he and Lily made, that wouldn't be fair to them, especially Alex who is blissfully unaware of what is going on at the moment. Plus, if he leaves, he will just be giving William the satisfaction of winning, which he will not do.

Dan looks over at the scowl Rufus is trying so desperately to conceal. He doesn't know exactly what his dad saw in the kitchen, but by the looks of things, it couldn't have been good. He doubts that his father is mad about William and Lily just chatting about the food selection, which would seem a little ridiculous. Dan wants to ask Rufus, but he knows that his father won't want to cause a scene at the dinner table.

Back in the kitchen, William continues to run his thumb over Lily's cheek, elated by the fact that Rufus caught them in a vulnerable position. His and CeCe's plan couldn't have gone any better. Although, Lily doesn't seem to be paying attention to him anymore, ever since Rufus walked in, she has been zoned out. Lily backs away from him and shakes her head, silently telling him that he should stop whatever he is doing.

_Rufus was right, he was right about everything. God, what have I done? _ Lily asks herself as she looks up at William. She can't do this again, she is not willing to lose Rufus again, but she is letting it happen. She feels terrible, she made it seem like Rufus was being ridiculous for worrying about William, but apparently he has every reason to.

"Lily, is there something wrong?" William asks, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"No, I am fine," Lily lightly shrugs off his hand, the gesture no longer comforting, it almost feels suffocating.

"Good, you had me worried there for a second," William smiles at her and fiddles with the neck of the wine bottle she gave him.

"I think we should probably go back into the dining room, we have been in here for a while." Lily turns on her heels, glancing over her shoulder momentarily when she notices that William isn't right behind her.

"I will be there in a minute, I need to use the restroom," William lies.

"It's um…"

"…next to Serena's old room," William finishes for her, reminding her that he used to live here too. Lily blushes and nods, heading back into the dining room, right over to her pissed off husband.

"Rufus, can I talk to you?" Lily asks, already assuming that his answer is no. Rufus glares at her, wondering why she is even asking him that. She is the last person he wants to talk to right now, the only reason he is still here is because of Dan, Jenny and Alex.

"I really don't want to talk to you right now Lily," he whispers back to her, not wanting the kids to overhear them talking. Lily understands, this is entirely her fault, but she wants to tell Rufus that he is right, he needs to hear it.

"Please, it will be quick," Lily puts her hand on his arm. Rufus sighs, recognizing that his stubborn wife will not let this go until they talk. He throws down his napkin, pushes back his chair and follows her upstairs, to their bedroom.

While Rufus and Lily are gone, William sneaks back into his seat. He looks around the dining room, noticing that Lily and Rufus are both gone. William is guessing that they went to talk about what Rufus saw in the kitchen.

Dan seriously wants to punch out Serena and Eric's father. Every time he comes into town, it's never a good thing for his dad. Dan won't touch William though; he doesn't want to upset Alex, Serena or Eric.

Alex is confused about what is going on around her. Her mommy and William went into the kitchen, daddy went to see what was going on, he came back mad, mommy and daddy talked and then went upstairs.

"Gamma, where mommy and daddy?" Alex asks CeCe who is talking to Serena about something.

"They went upstairs to talk," William answers for CeCe.

"Oh, what about Wilwam?" Alex asks out of curiosity. William doesn't know what he should say to the toddler. From years of knowing Lily, she never wanted to the kids to know when they were fighting; she would rather have an argument in private.

"Um…I think your mom wanted to ask your dad about something to do with Christmas," William tells the toddler, saying the first excuse that came to his mind. Alex's eyes sparkle with the prospect of gifts and she shoves a bite of turkey into her mouth.

"How did your talk with Lily go?" CeCe asks William when Serena turns to talk to Dan.

"Why are you so interested in me and Lily?"

"I always want to do what's best for my daughter and grandchildren, you know that." William laughs at his former mother-in-law's answer.

"You haven't changed a bit CeCe."

Rufus has been silent since he and Lily left the table. He really doesn't want to hear Lily explain away what happened in the kitchen, nor does he want Lily to make it seem like he is blowing things out of proportion.

"Rufus, please say something, even if you are going to yell at me. I don't know how to react when you are silent," Lily begs. Rufus doesn't know what to say to her, if anything, she should be the one who should talk right now.

"Should I leave?" Rufus asks finally after realizing that Lily isn't going to start this conversation. Lily's eyebrows shoot together, that wasn't what she wanted Rufus to say.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh come on Lil, cut the crap. I want you to be honest with me about William for once in your life. What is going on between the two of you?" Lily flinches at Rufus' tone, but she deserves it.

"It was a moment of weakness Rufus, I am really sorry," it's a lame explanation, but it is all she can say.

"If you caught me and Alison like that, you would be furious. We wouldn't even be having this conversation right now, you know that right?"

"Of course I do and you are right about everything. I am sorry about what you saw; obviously I shouldn't have let that happen. I just…I am sorry." Lily doesn't know what else to say, she isn't going to try and blame it on William, it takes two to end up like they were.

Rufus doesn't know if he believes his wife this time. He really isn't sure what to do in this situation. How many times can he forgive Lily for doing the same thing? At the same time he asks himself the same question he asked Lily, what if she caught him and Alison like that? Would she forgive him if he apologized like she is doing now? It's going to take some time for her to earn back his trust, but staying angry at her isn't going to solve any of their problems. What if there was a way to prove that he could trust Lily and get back at William at the same time?

"I know this is mostly William's fault that we are arguing like this now, but you aren't completely off the hook." Lily looks up at him, wondering where he is going with this.

"Okay…I don't know what to say here. Thank you?" Rufus gives her his "Lily" look and continues.

"I want to get back at your ex-husband, but how? I mean, we could always have sex in his lap…" Rufus breaks off when he hears Lily's laughter.

"I don't think that would be appropriate in front of the kids. We have already scarred each one of them for life, Rufus."

"Still, how do we get William back?" Rufus asks out loud.

"I am sure we will come up with something, but for now, we make it seem like you are still mad at me. Therefore, William thinks he has won and that will give us the upper hand." Rufus is torn between being impressed by his wife's scheming skills and scared of them. He doesn't even have to ask where she inherited that trait from; the source is eating turkey downstairs next to his daughter.

"Shall we?" Rufus holds out his hand for his wife to take. Lily nods and slips her hand into his. As they are walking downstairs hand in hand, Lily ponders why she allows herself to get into situations like this. She doesn't love William anymore, yet she is willing to throw her marriage away, why? Does she feel that insecure that she has to prove to Rufus that she can leave him at any time? Does she want him to fight for her? Why can't she just be in a relationship with someone who loves her unconditionally? She never wants Rufus to leave her, but it always appears like she is giving him every reason to.

Lily feels Rufus squeeze her hand as they make their way to the landing of the stairs.

"Remember, you are still mad at me," Lily whispers in his ear and slips her hand from his. Rufus nods, resisting the urge to naturally rest his hand on the small of her back. He puts on a frown and Lily loses her smile, reverting back into more of a guilty expression. They head into the dining room, Rufus goes back to his seat and Lily goes back to hers.

"How did your talk with Lily go?" Dan asks his father.

"I don't want to talk about Lily," Rufus says, loud enough so he is sure William will overhear. William looks at Lily and she is sure to look remorseful, bowing her head to look at her food.

Serena needs to tell her mother what she heard while she was gone upstairs with Rufus, but will Lily believe her? She decides to hell with it and pushes back her chair, heading over to where her mother is sitting.

"Mom, can I talk to you for a second in the kitchen?" Serena whispers in Lily's ear, having her back to Alex. Lily puts down her fork and turns to her daughter.

"Now is not a good time Serena," Lily responds back.

"Please, you are definitely going to want to hear what I have to say," Serena says. Lily follows Serena into the kitchen, leaving Alex alone with CeCe and William once again. Rufus sees Serena and his wife leave the room, wondering what is so important. If this is going to work, they have to come up with a plan fast before Serena ruins everything.

"What is going on?" Lily asks Serena, crossing her arms.

"Why don't you tell me first? What happened between you and dad in the kitchen?" Lily rolls her eyes; she can't have her daughter meddling.

"Nothing, now, didn't you have something to tell me?"

"Mom, what the hell are you doing? Rufus loves you very much." Lily would love to tell Serena what is going on, but she would rather leave her daughter out of it. There might be a chance that Serena will either tell William what Lily is doing or try to get in on the scheme.

"What happens between Rufus and I is none of your concern especially when it involves your father. Are we done here?" Lily realizes that she is being a little cold, but Serena will understand when this is all over. Serena huffs, maybe it's not worth telling her mother after all.

"Fine, if you want to see your marriage crash and burn, that's fine with me. Not that this matters, but grandma seemed extra interested in whatever transpired in here between you and dad. I think she might be up to something, but it doesn't seem like you care." Serena brushes past Lily to go sit down.

Lily shakes her head, how could she be so stupid to think that William planned this by himself? That is why her mother seemed so intent on coming for Thanksgiving; she knew William was coming here. Hell, she probably bought him a ticket to New York. Lily doesn't understand why her mother is constantly interfering in her relationship with Rufus. Can't she just accept that Lily is happy? CeCe isn't going to get away with this; it's time to get even with her mother. How can she relay this to Rufus without everyone knowing they made up? Everyone at the table is aware that they are mad at each other; if Lily just goes and sits next to him it's going to look suspicious. Lily will just have to pick another fight with him and hope that he is intelligent enough to go along with it. She goes back into the dining room, looking very annoyed.

"What's wrong dear?" CeCe asks after noticing the expression on Lily's face. Lily locks eyes with Rufus, silently telling him to play his part.

"Nothing, it's just that my husband rudely walked away from me while we were having a conversation," Lily says, diverting her attention to Rufus. All eyes flicker over to him, waiting with baited breath for his rebuttal. Rufus looks appropriately insulted and glares at Lily.

"Well I wouldn't have _darling, _but I wasn't going to listen to you make it seem like I am causing drama." The kids stop their conversation to listen to Rufus and Lily argue; something that never happens in front of them. Poor Alex looks like she is about to cry, she hasn't heard her parents talk to each other like this ever.

Lily holds her hand up, "please Rufus let's not discuss this in front of our guests, it's rude." Rufus drops his fork, creating a loud noise and causing Jenny to jump in her seat.

"Fine, lets finish our discussion if you really want to," Rufus stands up, challenging Lily to accompany him. Lily isn't backing down; she gets up as well and follows Rufus into Serena's old room, slamming the door behind her.

The rest of the people at the table are left baffled by what they just saw. Rufus and Lily have never done that before, never aired their dirty laundry in front of the family. William and CeCe are silently cheering, this is what they wanted, and they are thrilled that Rufus and Lily are arguing, even though they don't know it's only pretend.

"Why mommy and daddy fightin Wilwam?" Alex asks her eyes cloudy with tears. William feels bad for the toddler; he doesn't want Alex to be tangled up in this.

Rufus and Lily grin at each other after she slams Serena's door. She drapes her arms loosely around Rufus' neck, bringing him in for a kiss.

"You know, this is kind of fun," Rufus whispers when they pull apart. Lily bites her lip and brushes a kiss to his lips.

"You think so? I feel like a spy," Lily says with a tiny giggle. Rufus coils his arms around her waist, pressing his forehead against hers.

"I like being spies," Rufus tips his head up to press a kiss to her forehead.

"I did have a fake fight with you for a reason though. Serena told me that she overheard my mother and William talking, apparently CeCe is behind this whole thing." Rufus isn't surprised by this at all, he figured William and CeCe were co-conspirators.

"Okay, so what are we going to do with this information?" Rufus is enjoying this too much to give up. Lily smirks at him,

"Easy, we beat them at their own game. If that is okay with you, I mean."

"Of course, I think it would be fun to win against your mother and ex-husband." Lily smiles at him and sweeps another kiss across his lips.

"We better get back. Remember, we want to still be angry with each other."

"Okay, but you owe me one," Rufus winks at her and opens the door, walking out before Lily can say anything back. They go back to their seats again, still keeping their irritated expressions.

"Mommy, why you and daddy mad?" Alex asks, a frown tarnishing her smile. Lily didn't realize that what she and Rufus are doing would affect their daughter. Lily's eyes flash over to Rufus', who looks just as guilty as she does.

"Alex, mommy and daddy were just talking, everything is okay. Do you want to go by daddy?" Lily asks, wanting to make Alex feel safe before she talks to William. Alex nods, causing Lily to unbuckle her from the high chair and walking over to Rufus, depositing her in his lap without acknowledging him. She sits back next to William, slumping in her seat, putting both of her hands to her forehead. William sees her distress, sending CeCe a sly grin over Lily's shoulder. CeCe makes a gesture toward her daughter, telling William that he should comfort Lily.

"Lily, its okay," William puts a hand on Lily's shoulder, surprised when he doesn't shrug him off.

"No it's not, I ruined everyone's Thanksgiving," Lily shakes her head. William wraps an arm around Lily's shoulder, gliding his fingertips onto her skin.

"No, you didn't, Rufus will come around I am sure." Lily looks up and puts a hand on William's cheek, using her thumb to stroke the skin.

"Thank you for being so understanding William," Lily whispers, smiling softly at him.

Serena, Eric, Dan and Jenny are wondering what is happening. Why is Rufus just sitting there calmly? Shouldn't he punch William in the face for flirting with his wife?

"Dad, what is going on?" Dan whispers to Rufus who is bouncing Alex on his lap. Rufus looks over at his wife who is pretending to enjoy William's attention.

Serena is curious as to why her mother is flirting so openly with her father. She gets that Lily is upset with Rufus, but this certainly won't solve any of their issues. Rufus is either trying not to notice, or is too angry at Lily to care what she is doing right now.

Eric is furious at his mother for allowing this to happen. He has always been on Rufus' side, preferring his step-father over the father who abandoned him when he was two. What will become of Lily and Rufus after this?

Lily needs to stop this before William pushes it too far. She is trying to figure out how she can send a message to William without doing something she will regret. The only thing she can think of is to make it blatantly obvious to William that she is screwing with him.

"Is there anything I can do for you Lily?" William asks sincerely, hovering close to her lips. Lily chews on her lower lip, this is her chance.

"Yes…you can kiss me," Lily mutters so quietly, he has to strain to hear her. William realizes that he is being played; Lily would never do that in front of her children.

"Nicely done Lily," William whispers, winking at her to let her know that he knows.

"Thank you, I thought Rufus and I did a pretty good job," Lily tells him and looks around the table, enjoying the astounded looks on everyone's face sans Rufus and Alex. CeCe is especially dumb founded; her plan has officially been ruined.

"Who wants dessert?" Rufus asks to break the ice. Dan looks to Jenny, Serena and Eric to try to get a read on them.

"Uh, yeah because we aren't going to ask what the hell just happened here, let's just eat some cake instead," Dan says sarcastically.

"I'll get it honey," Lily tells her husband since he still has Alex in his lap.

"Okay, Alex do you want some cake?" Rufus asks their daughter.

"YES!" Alex exclaims and runs out of her father's lap, coming to a stop in front of her high chair. Lily buckles her back in and then walks into the kitchen to get the dessert, a chocolate cake she helped Rufus bake.

"I am going to go see if she needs help," CeCe tells everyone and trails behind Lily. Lily swings around to see who is behind her, expecting William to come in again to talk. Instead, her mother is standing behind her, wearing the perfect parental expression. "I am impressed that Rufus would agree to what just happened in there."

Lily smiles, her husband can be sneaky when he wants to be. "Well I am sorry but, your plan to have William and me run off together has been shot to hell." CeCe frantically tries to keep the disappointed look off her face and laughs instead.

"My darling, I have no idea what you are talking about." Lily quirks an eyebrow, she doesn't believe her mother for a second.

"Serena told me mother, I know that it was your idea for William to come here."

"Lily, I did not force William onto a plane. He wanted to see Serena and Eric and I merely suggested that he come to New York over the holidays." Lily puts the cake back onto the counter and puts her hand on her hip.

"Uh huh, so your role in this is making a phone call. Okay well, did you tell William to flirt with me in front of my husband?" CeCe bats her hand in the air,

"Don't be ridiculous Lily, I don't control him."

"Will you ever stop messing with Rufus and me?" CeCe laughs and reaches for the dwindling bottle of gin.

"Probably not, it's refreshing for me to see someone who cares so much for you Lily and is willing to fight for you." Lily softens, are she and CeCe finally reaching a convoluted resolution to her love life? "Besides, it is fun watching Rufus squirm." _And there it goes again, _Lily thinks to herself, internally rolling her eyes. CeCe moves past her and rejoins the family in the dining room.

"Mommy cake…pwease!" Alex shouts from her high chair, no longer wanting to wait for her cake.

"Coming darling!" Lily yells back and sweeps the cake off of the counter. William helps her cut pieces for everyone and passes them around the table. Alex, as always, abandons the cutlery and shoves the frosting into her mouth. William hands Lily a piece and she accepts it graciously before going over to sit on her husband's lap.

"Lily, I love you and you are a great step-mother to Jenny and me, but I was this close to yelling at you and punching out William," Dan admits, blushing slightly. Lily laughs and sucks the remaining crumbs off her finger.

"Yeah mom thanks for the heads up in the kitchen," Serena says sarcastically as she takes a bite of cake.

"Sorry Serena, I just wanted to make sure that you didn't blow our cover. Rufus and I performed well, didn't you guys think?" Lily asks their kids while exchanging a smile with Rufus. The kids nod in agreement, although they kind of wish they were in on the scheme.

"I would say Chuck and Blair would be very impressed. You aren't as good as they are yet, but maybe in time, it will happen," Jenny chimes in, making Rufus and Dan cringe.

"Thank you Jenny, I thought I channeled my son quite rather brilliantly," Lily says with a smile.

"Let's not get carried away here Lil, I only agreed to participate in your plot because it was William….and your mother," Rufus mumbles the last part, half expecting Lily to poke him with her fork. Lily shrugs, CeCe deserved what she got, and she doesn't feel the least bit sorry. She just wishes that they would have been more careful in front of Alex.

Alex is wondering why she keeps getting left with her grandmother and William. At least her mommy and daddy look like they are no longer fighting, which strangely makes William seem upset. On second thought, her grandma doesn't look too happy either.

"Hey Wilwam?" Alex asks before she plops the last remaining piece of cake into her mouth.

"Yes Alex?" William questions, trying to keep his mind off his ex-wife sitting on Rufus' lap while they are talking to their children, they look so happy together. He doesn't ever remember Lily liking PDA in their relationship, but that has changed. Now he is left to chat with the youngest Humphrey, a byproduct of Lily and Rufus' successful relationship.

"You okay?" Alex asks with no judgment, obviously too young to be picking a side. Despite losing today, William finds himself chuckling at the toddler. Alex's appearance and mannerisms remind William a lot of Serena and Lily.

"I am fine Alex, how was the cake?"

"Good, I tell mommy," Alex informs William and takes a sip of her sippy cup before yelling "MOMMY!" Everyone stops their conversations to turn their attention to the two-year-old.

"Yes, my darling?" Lily asks and coils her arm around the nape of Rufus' neck.

"Cake good, good job." Lily beams at her daughter and then at her husband.

"Your mom finally didn't burn something Alex, enjoy it while it lasts," Rufus says, not shocked at all when Lily jabs him in the ribs. Alex doesn't seem to comprehend what her father said and instead gives him a toothy grin.

As William talks to Alex more and more, he is surprised to be enjoying the toddler's company. She is very smart and has a passion for animals. Alex is telling him all about her trip to the zoo and the animals she saw, needing help from time to time on the vocabulary.

"I think William made a new friend," Rufus whispers in Lily's ear. Lily leans forward around Rufus' head to see her daughter and ex-husband talking.

"Contrary to what you might think, William is a good father, just a lousy husband," Lily tells him. Rufus shrugs, he doesn't see how abandoning your children at such a young age can make you a good father in his wife's eyes, but he isn't going to argue that point with her. At least William is here now, trying to be a part of Serena and Eric's life, which Rufus has absolutely no problem with. It's just when William tries to woo Lily that makes Rufus not want him here.

Unfortunately, it took William too long to realize that he truly wants Lily. She has clearly moved on by marrying Rufus and having Alex. Maybe Lily could be sitting on his lap instead of Rufus'. It's not that William blames Lily or anything; it was his fault that he left. Their marriage just wasn't working and William got the opportunity to leave, so he did.

After desert, William decides that he has overstayed his welcome.

"I think that I am going to go. Thanks for having me," William tells everyone. Dan, Jenny and Rufus wave goodbye to him. Serena, Eric and CeCe get out of their seats to give William a hug goodbye.

"Bye Wilwam, I miss you," Alex says and waves a sticky, chocolate crumb hand to him.

"Goodbye Alex, it was nice meeting you," William says sincerely and heads towards the elevator.

"I am going to say goodbye to him," Lily tells Rufus and gets off his lap, smoothing down her dress in the process. William hears the click-clack of Lily's heels and spins around to face her.

"I am sorry William, I am sure this wasn't the Thanksgiving you had in mind." Lily isn't sure why she is apologizing to her ex-husband, but for some reason she feels a little remorseful.

"Don't worry about it, it was kind of fun." Lily is confused, but then remembers all the schemes they used to run together and then understands why William is so forgiving.

"Plotting against my mother does have some advantages." William and Lily share a laugh, and then turn serious.

"You know Lily; I would love to take you and the kids out for lunch. I think Alex and I have become friends." William watches Lily hesitate for a second and he wishes he could take the invitation back.

"I would have to check with Rufus first, but I think that would be lovely. I know Alex loved having someone to share her love of animals with." William brushes a kiss to Lily's cheek and jabs the down button on the elevator.

"Give me a call tomorrow if you want to do lunch. I will have to leave for the airport by three." With that, William steps into the elevator, allowing the doors to close in front of him. Lily swivels on her heels and goes back into the dining room, only to find her family coming in and out to grab dishes. She steps into help, but Alex informs her that she needs to be changed.

"I'll be right back to help," Lily says to her kids and takes Alex out the high chair. Lily and Alex go into Alex's room so Lily can change her daughter's diaper.

"Did you have fun today Alex?" Lily asks while searching for a wipe.

"Yup, Wilwam nice," Alex informs her mother while fiddling with her monkey Lily gave her.

"He is a sweet man darling. Should we go downstairs and play some games before bed?" Lily asks Alex and lifts her up, bringing her back into her arms.

"Yeah! 'mon mommy," Alex points to the door in her bedroom. When Lily and Alex get downstairs, the group is waiting for them in the living room. Rufus saved an open seat on the couch next to him, making Lily beam at him. She sets Alex down and sits next to her husband, stamping a kiss on his cheek. Alex goes to sit in between CeCe and Serena.

"What is it with this family and Scrabble? We all know Dan is going to win, can we play something else?" Jenny whines, holding up a box of Boggle as another option. The girls gravitate toward Jenny's option, leaving Rufus and Eric outnumbered. However, Dan suggests that it will be educational for Alex so they all cave. Alex sits on Serena's lap and rearranges the tiles, every so often coming up with a word on accident. Surprisingly, CeCe wins at Scrabble, only beating Dan by a slight margin.

After the game, they play a quick game of Boggle and then it is Alex's bedtime. Alex starts to protest, but Serena steps in, assuring her younger half sister that the older siblings are going to bed as well. Everyone says goodbye and Rufus carts Alex off to bed. Rufus grabs Alex's favorite bedtime story, but the toddler informs her father that she would rather talk.

"Okay, what do you want to talk about?" Rufus asks, sitting on the edge of his daughter's tiny toddler bed. Alex climbs under the covers and reaches for her lamb.

"Wilwam nice," Alex informs her father, looking back at him for confirmation. Rufus has his own opinion about William, but it is not something he wants his two-year-old to hear. Nevertheless, William kept Alex company for most of the day, so Rufus is begrudgingly thankful for that.

"He is a nice person," Rufus says, ignoring the bitter taste those words left in his mouth.

"He comin back?" Alex asks, her eyelids drooping slightly. Rufus wipes a tendril out of her face and gets to his feet, leaning down to kiss Alex's temple.

"I don't know sweetie, you might want to ask mommy in the morning. Goodnight," Alex turns over in bed, facing the wall. Rufus flips off the light and rejoins his wife and mother-in-law in the living room. From the landing, he sees Lily and CeCe casually chatting and turns around, intent on taking a shower before Lily. However, CeCe catches him and asks him to sit with them. Rufus bites back a sigh and plops down next to Lily, draping an arm around her shoulders.

"So Rufus, how do you think Thanksgiving went?" CeCe asks, genuinely looking for his opinion. Rufus rubs Lily's upper arm, giving it a squeeze before responding.

"I thought it was fun," Rufus admits, blushing slightly. Lily laughs, Rufus can be unapologetically honest from time to time. CeCe raises her eyebrows, today has shown her a whole new side of her son-in-law. She is still debating whether or not she likes it, she isn't sure she can handle Rufus beating her at her own game.

"Well what you and my daughter did today was impressive." Lily and Rufus exchange smiles; CeCe is congratulating them, that is a rare occurrence.

"Rufus did play the angry husband part beautifully, without him we couldn't have gone through with it." Lily rests her hand on his chest, rubbing it briefly.

"I will be getting the two of you back before you leave, mark my words." CeCe points threateningly at them, but Lily rolls her eyes.

"Trust me mother, bringing William out here is enough. Can't we just be even now?"

"No, I don't think I could let that happen. For now though, I am going to take a shower and go to bed, it's been a long day." CeCe gets off the couch and so do Rufus and Lily.

"Night mother, see you in the morning for some gin and coffee," Lily says while hugging her mother. She hears CeCe laugh quietly, causing Lily to crack a smile. Rufus waves goodbye and holds his hand out for Lily. They watch CeCe go into Serena's room, closing the door behind her.

"I am kind of scared about what your mother said," Rufus tells his wife. Lily brushes it off,

"I'm not, the worse that woman can do is invite William over for breakfast." Lily says, forgetting that she hasn't told Rufus about lunch with her ex-husband yet. _Not now, _Lily thinks to herself, promising herself that she will ask him later. Preferably after sex when Rufus is more inclined to agree to whatever she is asking.

"That would actually work for me; I could slip laxatives into his waffles." Lily's eyes widen,

"Okay, clearly you have been spending too much time with my mother."

"Only because you force me to," Rufus says, squeezing her hand to assure her that he is kidding.

"Touché, now come on," Lily tugs on his hand, leading him toward the stairs. Rufus' lips crash onto hers, walking her backwards up the stairs. Lily moans into his mouth, wrapping her arms around his back. They land in the master bedroom, Rufus kicking the door shut behind him.

"I think it's time for you to make it up to me," Rufus mumbles against her lips. Lily pulls back, her lips swollen and her eyes twinkling.

"I don't want my mother to hear us," Lily whispers, thankful that the darkness can cover the rosy hue of her cheeks. Rufus concedes, Lily does have a point, it would be mortifying if his mother-in-law overheard them having sex.

"You are pretty loud," Rufus tells her, laughing at his own comment. Lily bites her lip, her husband isn't exactly wrong about that.

"I can't help myself sometimes, you should be proud."

"I am, your mother is in the shower right now so if we are quick…" Rufus breaks off, knowing that Lily will catch his meaning.

"Or we could just have sex in the shower while she is still in there. You know, make the water in Serena's shower freezing."

"Lily Humphrey, you are one cold hearted woman!" Rufus exclaims, placing his hands on her hips, drawing her closer so she is pressed up against him.

"Hmm…I think that is why you married me..." Lily meshes her lips with Rufus as he lifts her off her feet, walking her towards the bed. Their lips never separate as Lily blindly unbuttons Rufus' dress shirt, slipping it off his shoulders. She opens her eyes to watch it fall like a pink parachute to the floor before reaching for the hem of his white undershirt, roughly yanking it off of him. Her eyes widen as she admires her husband's toned chest, racking her brain to think of a time when Rufus had the time to work out.

Rufus lays her gently on the bed, running his hand down her cheek, neck, stopping at her shoulder. He fiddles with the strap of her dress, roughly jerking it off the curve of her shoulder.

"If you rip this dress, I will divorce you," Idle threat and they both know it, but it's still fun to joke around.

"Good, I will have my 'Welcome Back Kotter' mugs casted in gold with the money I will be getting from you." Lily's laughter is compressed by Rufus leaning down to kiss her. Her fingers disappear in Rufus' thick brown strands. Rufus slips the dress entirely off of her and detaches their lips, moving down to trail a line of kisses down her neck, working his way to her breasts. He swirls his tongue over her nipples, making them hard. Lily moans loudly, Rufus' head pops up to give her his "I told you so" face.

"When you do stuff like that to me, it's hard to be quiet." Lily responds, another groan escaping when his lips move lower. Rufus slips her panties off, and then helps Lily with his pants, snatching the belt as she quickly undoes the buckle, easing the clothing to the floor. Rufus steps out of his pants, his eyes flickering over to his wife who is eyeing his erection through his boxers with lust. She rubs his vigorously over the fabric and then without preamble, she shoves the boxers down to his ankles. Rufus lifts up the balls of his feet; they are both naked, both waiting for the other to make a move.

Rufus maneuvers himself so he is hovering over her on the bed. Lily presses their lips together and she reaches down to start stroking him vigorously. Rufus hums quietly; his hands barreling down her skin, stopping at her clit. His fingers enter swiftly, unrelenting until he is sure that she is ready for him.

Lily is feeling herself getting lost in his touch; each movement he makes is just so satisfying to her. It is just what she needed to unwind, to let something consume her, distract her for the time being. She tilts her head up when she feels his fingers slip out, but is fulfilled once again by his hips thrusting into her sharply.

"Oh…Rufus…" is all that is said as Rufus eases out of her and then into her again, each time more intense. Lily can feel herself rising as she tries to match him, thrust for thrust. Rufus pounds into her roughly, but she doesn't care. She crosses her legs behind his back as he rotates his hips slightly, trying to bury himself deeper inside of her.

"Shit Lil…" Rufus hisses, feeling Lily's heels press into his torso. Lily's eyelids flutter as she finds herself delving into her climax. Her head lolls back and forth while she grounds out her husband's name. Rufus moves in her a couple more time before finding his own release.

Rufus collapses onto the bed beside her, both of them panting, trying to regain their footing after their latest encounter. Lily recovers first and dives under the covers, inching her way towards her husband. Rufus turns toward her, slinking an arm around her back as she buries her head in the curvature of his neck.

"I love you," Rufus senses a kiss grazing over his skin as his wife mutters those three words.

"I do too Lil, so much," He presses a kiss to her forehead and joins her under the sheets. Lily knows this is the time to ask him, she can already feel herself fading.

"Which is why I have something to ask you," Lily mumbles and rolls toward him, placing her head on his chest. Rufus tips her head down to size her up, Lily wanting a favor from him after today is not a good indication.

"What might that be Lil?" Lily's eyes slide away from his; she doesn't know why she is so nervous to ask him, if Rufus says no, then she will honor him and not go, but a part of her will always wonder if he said no because he is uncomfortable with William or doesn't trust her.

"William asked me before he left if I wanted to go to lunch with him and the kids." Of course Lily asks him something to do with William, he should have known.

"Why are you asking me after we just had sex?" Rufus doesn't know if he should be insulted or find it amusing. Rufus feels his wife's body heat up in embarrassment, making him wonder if she didn't think he would figure it out.

"I…uh…wanted…you to say yes," Lily says, there is no use in lying to him.

"Okay well I will go to lunch with Allison, Dan and Jenny while you go to lunch with William, Eric and Serena. I don't know what we would do about Alex though, spilt her in half?" Rufus jokes. Lily giggles and lightly hits his chest.

"How come every time I bring up William you bring up Allison?"

"Because, sweetheart, that is the way it works. As husband and wife, we get to play the exes card with each other." Lily looks up at him, is he going to let her go?

"Are you okay with it though, seriously? I won't go if you have a problem with it. Or you could come with and angrily stare at him as he enjoys his lunch," Lily smiles slightly, but it crumbles when Rufus doesn't reciprocate. Rufus takes a second to think about his wife's proposition. Honestly, he is split. The incident in the kitchen between William and Lily had him concerned, but she has also proved that she loves him and only him by plotting against William. However, sending Lily to lunch with William could be the deciding factor. Plus, their kids will be with them.

"I think you should go without me. Take the kids and have lunch with your ex-husband. If you don't come home for dinner I will have assumed that you and William have run away to Mexico together. Just be sure to have one of the kids bring back Alex." Rufus says, a ghost of a smile chasing across his face. Lily's eyes crinkle at the corners, she is ecstatic that they can make light of this after today. She splashes her hands on both sides of his cheeks, passionately kissing him on the lips. Rufus pulls her up so she is pressed up against him.

"Mmm…it won't be Mexico," Lily mumbles as they pull apart, her elbows resting on each side of his head. She starts playing with his hair, studying every detail of her husband as his chest quivers with laughter.

"Putting all the jokes aside, I appreciate that you asked me instead of just told me like yesterday. I do trust you Lily, completely." Lily feels pathetic when her eyes cloud with tears. She sniffs and presses a finger under her eyelid, trying to stop tears from flowing from her eyes. Rufus skates his fingers down her sides, stopping at the small of her back.

"Thank you," Lily mumbles, pressing a kiss to his lips. When they separate, Rufus brings a hand to her cheek, running her thumb across her skin while Lily gives him watery smile. Lily slides off of him, cuddling close to his side, resting a hand on his chest. Lily lifts her head up so Rufus can glide his arm under her. She loves Rufus more than she ever loved William because William would never do that for her. She is aware that Rufus has his reservations, as he should, but he overrides them for her.

"Night Lil," Rufus leans over to kiss her goodnight. Lily kisses him back, her arm going around the back of neck momentarily. They break apart with a smack, a content smile washing over Lily's face.

"Night Rufus," Lily mumbles and they both drift off to sleep.

The next morning, Lily falls into her routine, getting up with Alex while Rufus sleeps in. Rarely is he ever up before her, except when she is sick or he has to do something for the gallery. She doesn't mind, she is up early anyway and doesn't want to make Alex wait for Rufus to get up. Alex understands by now that her mother can't make her breakfast and has to wait patiently for her father to cook waffles for them.

"Hello my darling," Lily says to her daughter softly, picking her up from the toddler bed and automatically going over to the changing table. Alex lets Lily change her diaper and then they go downstairs. Lily leaves her daughter in the Rufus' office while she goes to the bathroom. When she gets out, Alex has flipped over to Dora. This is news to Lily, when did her daughter learn how to do that?

"Mommy, Dora," Alex says with delight, clutching onto her monkey as she climbs onto the couch. Lily joins Alex on the couch, pulling her daughter into her lap.

"How did you learn how to work the TV Alex?"

"Daddy, now ssh," Alex says, not liking her TV show being interrupted. Lily would scold her daughter, but she finds her too amusing. Instead, she will scold at her husband for teaching their two-year-old how to operate a remote. After Dora, Lily can hear Rufus fumble around in the bathroom and informs her daughter it's time to turn off the TV. Alex complies and they go downstairs, meeting Rufus in the living room.

"Hey Alex, want waffles?" Rufus asks, already knowing the answer is yes. Alex nods, going into the kitchen to assist her father. CeCe comes out of Serena's room while Rufus is cooking and she automatically reaches for the coffee machine.

"What we doin today mommy?" Alex asks while her father is taking the waffles out.

"Well, you, Serena, Eric and I are going out to lunch with William. Your dad is going to Brooklyn to work and your grandma is going home," Lily explains while she buckles Alex into her high chair.

"I am going too and then William and I are going to the airport," CeCe informs Lily. Lily furrows her eyebrows, she wasn't aware of this plan.

"Oh okay, I haven't texted the kids yet, I am not sure if they can come. It's kind of short notice." Lily runs upstairs quickly to grab her phone, texting both of her kids to ask them to lunch, running the risk of waking them up. She gets a response from Eric, telling her that he already made plans with Elliot. Serena, however, can come and even recommends a restaurant. Lily is disappointed that both of her kids can't come, but she already texted William to tell her that they are coming; she doesn't want to cancel now.

She relays the information over to William and they set up lunch for noon at The Carlyle, Serena's new favorite restaurant. Lily goes to get ready while Rufus and CeCe keep an eye on Alex. Rufus excuses himself to go upstairs, finding his wife in the master bathroom, carefully putting her makeup on.

"Hey, I think I am going to take Dan out for coffee while you guys are gone." Lily closes the tube of mascara and turns to face him.

"I'll text you if I see any coffee places near the restaurant," Lily says, only half joking.

"If you want me to drop in your little lunch date, all you have to do is ask. Or I could create a fake emergency, if that's better." Lily glares at him for calling her lunch with her ex-husband a date, but is happy that he is mostly comfortable with her going. Lily kisses his cheek and brushes past him, making her way to the walk in closet.

"Where's Alex?" Lily asks Rufus while she is flipping through her wardrobe.

"With your mother, I hid all the gin last night so you don't have to worry."

"Like that has ever stopped her before," Lily mutters as she settles on an emerald green lace Burberry dress.

"Right, well I am going to go check on Alex, if smell alcohol I will be sure to yell for you." Rufus presses a kiss to his wife's temple and rushes downstairs. Lily laughs quietly to herself as she is getting dressed. She switches off with Rufus so he can get dressed and her mother can pack. Lily gets Alex ready, with her chatting animatedly about their lunch with William.

"I bring Monkey to show Wilwam," Alex informs Lily, raising her arms above her head so Lily can slip a gray sweater dress onto her daughter's tiny frame.

"Okay darling, we will be sure to bring Monkey with us." She sets Alex down on the floor and the toddler walks over to the mirror in the closet to admire herself. Lily stands back, covering her mouth to prevent her daughter from seeing her grin.

"I like it," Alex declares and snatches her monkey off the bed. Lily holds her daughters hand while they head down the stairs. Rufus already has the diaper bag set out on the counter and is chatting with CeCe while the bellhop puts her luggage on a cart.

"We should probably go, I promised we would meet him at noon," Lily says, grabbing the Kate Spade bag off the counter, resting it over her shoulder.

"Bye daddy," Rufus bends down so Alex can give him a hug. He stands up and walks over to Lily.

"Don't be afraid to stop by," Lily whispers into his ear and pulls him in for a kiss.

"Would you two stop? I heard enough last night," CeCe complains, relishing in the fact she can still make her daughter and son-in-law blush.

"Mother! I wasn't…" Lily smirks, her mother is bluffing. There is no way CeCe could have heard anything because she was in the shower and they were upstairs on the other side of the penthouse.

"I am actually going to miss you CeCe," Rufus says and breaks away from Lily to hug his mother-in-law. He feels silly for falling into CeCe's trap so easily, but her trip wasn't that bad this time compared to her last visit.

"Me too Rufus, I will try to come for Christmas." Lily shakes her head at her husband, just because he won over CeCe once doesn't mean he can again. It is still fun to see him try though. She makes sure Alex is buckled into the stroller and presses her hand to her lips before waving goodbye to Rufus.

Lily, CeCe and Alex get into the car while their driver is loading the stroller and luggage into the trunk. Lily texts William and Serena to let them know they are on the way.

"So Rufus is fine with you going to lunch?" CeCe asks casually. Lily suppresses a groan; of course her mother would pick up on this.

"We talked and he is okay with it. Believe it or not mother, Rufus trusts me."

"He didn't yesterday," Lily glances at CeCe over Alex's head; they are not having this conversation in front of her daughter.

"Trust me mom, I know what I am doing."

Rufus arrives at a coffee shop near the loft in Brooklyn. Dan is already there, a frown forming on his face when he realizes that Alex isn't with his father.

"Hey dad, where are Lily and Alex? I thought they were coming with you," Dan hugs his father and they sit across from each other at a booth in the corner of the café.

"They went to lunch with William, Serena and CeCe." Rufus expects the astounded look on his son's face; he doesn't sure why he is letting his wife go himself.

"And you are okay with that?" Rufus takes a sip of his coffee before answering.

"Your stepmother and I came to an understanding."

"Dad, you and Lily aren't splitting up are you?" Dan asks with trepidation, he likes this new family Rufus and Lily have created.

"No son, I love Lily very much, which is why she is going to lunch with William."

"Is it one of those 'you will understand when you are married' things?" Rufus nods, he thinks that is what it is.

Lily, CeCe and Alex arrive at the restaurant and are led to their table. Serena and William are already there, chatting politely with each other. Lily sits across from William, next to Serena while CeCe takes the empty seat next to William. Alex is perched in her high chair in between Lily and William.

Watching Lily fuss over Alex makes William smile. It's been a long time since he has seen Lily really be a mom. By the time he resurfaced in her life, Eric and Serena were teenagers capable of taking care of themselves.

"Hey Wilwam," Alex says happily, holding her hand out for him to high five. William complies as the waiter comes by for Lily, CeCe and Alex's drink orders.

"Here is your monkey," Lily hands Alex her favorite animal to show William.

"Look Wilwam, its Monkey," Alex twirls the monkey around.

"Very cute Alex." William doesn't want to like Alex, but he does. Lily and Rufus did a good job with raising the toddler who is beautiful, smart and very funny.

"I heard Alex was telling you all about her trip to the zoo with Rufus the other day," Lily tells William, smiling when he laughs.

"She loves to talk just like Serena, she definitely got that from you," William says.

"Hey! I am right here dad," Serena jokingly pouts.

"Yeah William, I am right here." Lily adds in. William throws his arms up in defense.

"Sorry, Alex talking about the zoo yesterday reminds me of the time we took Serena and Eric," William says. Lily shakes her head at the memory, that wasn't fun. Serena leans in, quirking her eyebrows at CeCe, wondering why she has never heard this story.

"Yeah, I remember you giving Serena that cotton candy and her throwing up in my purse on the way home. That was a Birkin William, in case you have forgotten." The whole table, except for Alex, shares a laugh. They stop reminiscing for a second to put in their food orders.

"I remember dad always taking me to get a strawberry milkshake," Serena says once the waiter leaves.

"I do too and Eric would always try to steal some," William says with a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Serena notices the more they are talking, her mom's interactions with her dad are unlike her and Rufus'. Her mother and father seem like old friends, which makes it hard to believe that they were ever married. She doesn't doubt that they loved each other once, but her mom has moved on. Lily is different around Rufus, always hanging on every word, smiling at him, touching him, and kissing him. There is no spark between her mom and dad, it was there briefly a couple of years ago when they thought Lily was sick, but it's gone now.

Lunch comes to a close and William and CeCe have to catch their flight back home.

"Thank you for coming, let's keep in touch," Lily tells her ex-husband, brushing a kiss to his cheek. Serena hugs her father and grandmother goodbye. Lily lifts Alex out of her high chair so her daughter can say her goodbyes as well.

"Bye Wilwam, see ya soon! Bye gamma, miss you," Alex stamps a kiss laden with marina sauce onto William and CeCe's cheeks.

"Bye Alex," William and CeCe say. William gets into a cab, waving a final goodbye before closing the door behind him.

"That was fun darling, wasn't it?" CeCe asks Lily.

"Yes, it was, I didn't realize how much I missed him." Lily isn't afraid to admit it, she never wanted to cut William out of her life, and it's just that she got so busy; she couldn't find time to squeeze him in.

"Maybe he could come for Christmas," CeCe suggests.

"Don't get any crazy ideas mother."

"I won't, I have to go, bye girls," CeCe walks over to the car and blows a kiss goodbye. Serena, Lily and Alex start walking back toward the penthouse since Serena has some time before she has to go back to Blair's.

"That was an interesting Thanksgiving," Serena comments to her mother. Lily uses her free hand that isn't pushing Alex in the stroller to wrap around her daughter.

"I am sorry that you had to get dragged into everything, that wasn't fair." Serena shrugs,

"It's fun to take grandma down a peg every once and a while. I am sure Rufus appreciated it more than I did."

"Yes he did my darling. I just want you to know that your father and I were happy once."

"I know you were, but I think you always loved Rufus more." Lily doesn't know what to say to that, it has always been a sensitive topic for her.

"Your father and Rufus are completely different people," is all Lily says because she doesn't want to upset Serena.

"I am glad you are with Rufus," Serena whispers and looks away. Lily squeezes Serena's arm,

"Me too Serena, I have to get Alex home for her nap. I love you and will see you later okay?" Lily hugs her eldest daughter goodbye and Serena peaks into the stroller to see Alex passed out and clutching onto her monkey.

"Bye mom," Serena says and hails a cab. Lily waits patiently for her car to come that takes her and Alex back to the penthouse.

"Rufus?" Lily yells and hears nothing back. Alex, who is now awake, spots a note on the counter.

"Mommy look," Lily picks her daughter up and walks over to the counter, picking up the note her husband left for her.

_Lil, I went to Hudson for the day. Just kidding, I am at the gallery if you need me. I'll bring back some dinner for us. Love you, R._

"Alex, I don't know if your daddy knows he's not that funny sometimes," Lily tells her daughter as she turns around, heading for the stairs.

"Daddy funny mommy," Alex informs her mother as they approach her bedroom. Lily tucks her daughter in for her nap and goes downstairs to catch up on some paperwork for Bass.

The elevator doors open a few hours later to reveal Rufus. Lily looks up from her papers and takes her reading glasses off, a bright smile blossoming on her face. Rufus closes the gap between them, draping his arms around her shoulders from behind and placing a kiss on her temple.

"Hey, what did you get for dinner?" Lily asks, noticing a brown paper bag left on the coffee table.

"Chinese and no, I didn't forget the eggrolls," Lily giggles; her husband does know her well.

"Good, I am glad that you remembered." They transition over to the couch with Lily cuddling up to Rufus who brushes another kiss to her lips.

"How did your lunch go? Obviously you and William didn't run off together."

"Hmm…we are taking a later flight. I just came back to say goodbye over eggrolls," Lily jokes and rests her head on his shoulder.

"I don't think you should get any eggrolls then."

"Lunch was good, it was needed. When William and I were reminiscing about our past, I realized that is exactly what it was. I did love William; he was the father of two of my children, but that's it. I love you and we are happy together, right?"

"Yes, we are very happy." Rufus says without hesitation. Lily tips her head up to kiss him fervently.

"Our food is getting cold and I have to yell at you for something," Lily mumbles against his lips. Rufus snatches the food off the coffee table, his eyebrows shooting together.

"What could I have done?" Rufus asks as he hands her the eggrolls.

"You taught our two-year-old how to operate a remote." Lily says and bites into her food as Alex slides down the stairs.

"So, I was teaching her how to be resourceful." Alex scampers toward her parents and climbs into Rufus' lap.

"As long as the dirty channels are blocked," Lily warns him and offers Alex a bite of her roll.

"There are none to be blocked as far as you know."

"Rufus!"

"Lily!" Rufus says in the same fashion and winks at his wife.

**A/N 2: That's it! Longest chapter in my history! Now, what do you guys want to see in the last two chapters, another baby, a romantic vacation, Christmas, something else? It is completely up to you guys; please leave your suggestions on the way out. Thanks for reading!**


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: I know this gets annoying, but I feel like it's important to thank everyone for the reviews every single chapter. We are so close to the end, but we aren't there yet. This chapter is definitely rated M, enjoy!**

**Chapter 29**

As you get older, you stop looking forward to your birthday, it becomes unlike any other day. For Lily Humphrey, March 14th will just be just another day, not the day she turns 42. All she wants to do is spend the day with Rufus and her kids without the acknowledgment of her increasing age.

Speaking of Rufus, he has been acting weird these past few days. He has been making secret phone calls and hasn't given any inclination that her birthday is coming up. Not that Lily cares, but she has a feeling her husband is keeping something important from her.

Rufus can tell Lily is suspicious, but he doesn't want to ruin her birthday present. He knows she is going to love it, which is why he wants it to be an absolute surprise.

Lily can hear Rufus talking upstairs on the phone with someone, again, for the third day in a row. Whenever she would ask who he is talking to, Rufus would lie and say one of the kids each day. Lily isn't stupid, she is well aware that their kids do not want to talk to them that much. Maybe if she hears who is on the other end, she can catch him in a lie. She sneaks upstairs, trying to be as quiet as possible.

"Hey son, did you talk to Serena about watching Alex?" Rufus asks Dan.

"Yeah, she says it is fine as long as Lily is okay with it. Did you tell her yet?"

"No, she won't know until tomorrow."

Lily comes into the office and wraps an arm around her husband, splashing her hand across his upper chest. Rufus jumps a little, but relaxes when he notices his wife is behind him.

"Who are you talking to?" Lily whispers in his ear.

"I'll talk you later son," Rufus says to Dan and slips his cell phone into his pant pocket. "Dan wanted to know when we were doing dinner for your birthday." Rufus settles for half of lie, which he knows Lily will believe.

Lily groans and removes her arm as Rufus turns around to face her.

"Rufus, honestly, I really don't want to do anything for my birthday." Rufus furrows his eyebrows; this wasn't the reaction he was hoping for.

"Of course you do Lil, I am not taking no for an answer." Lily shakes her head; Rufus isn't going to change his mind about this.

"Fine, if we have to celebrate, why don't we do it tonight?"

"I already made reservations at your favorite restaurant and all the kids are coming, including Chuck." A smirk blooms on Lily's face and she interlaces her fingers behind Rufus' neck.

"You tricked me." Rufus nods and grins right back at her,

"It was easier than I thought." Lily leans in to brush a kiss to her husband's lips, thankful that he does things like this for her. Alex tracks her parent's voices into her daddy's office. Not surprisingly, her mommy and daddy are kissing…_again. _

"Hey!" Alex yells, watching her parents separate from each other. Her dad twirls his head to look down at her while her mom still has her arms draped around his neck.

"Hey yourself sweetie," Rufus tells his daughter. Lily removes her arms and walks over to their daughter, scooping her off the floor.

"Mommy, I need to shop," Alex says, wiggling around in her mother's arms. Lily presses a kiss to her daughter's cheek, before setting her down on the floor.

"You do, what for?" Lily asks Alex, how much stuff could a two and a half year old need?

"Your berday mommy." Lily turns to look at her husband who shrugs.

"I promised Alex we could get you a present. We will be back before dinner." Rufus picks up Alex and walks toward Lily.

"I am going to sulk since my birthday is tomorrow," Lily tells Rufus and gives him a goodbye kiss. Rufus rolls his eyes and kisses her again before taking off with their daughter in tow.

Lily has an hour to kill before she has to get ready for dinner tonight so she decides to take a bath. She goes to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine and then heads into the bathroom to draw a bubble bath. She could tell Rufus lied to her earlier, not about who was calling, but the topic of conversation. Lily heard Alex's name be mentioned and someone not knowing something until tomorrow. She is guessing it is her given that her birthday is tomorrow. Lily really hopes Rufus isn't going over the top with her gift; it's sweet, but unnecessary.

Rufus straps Alex into her car seat and slides into the other side of the car.

"What are we going to get mommy for her birthday Alex?" Rufus asks, gesturing to the driver to hold on a second. Alex taps her finger on her chin, appearing to be in deep thought.

"Toys," Alex answers finally and smiles at her father. Rufus can't help but laugh, he is well aware that is what Alex wants, not Lily.

"I have an idea, Alex. Can you take us to Cartier please?" Rufus asks Isaac, their driver. Alex doesn't know what Cartier is, but it doesn't sound anything like FAO Schwartz, her favorite store.

They arrive at Cartier on Fifth Avenue and Rufus takes Alex inside. Alex is blown away by all the diamonds she sees and immediately breaks from Rufus' hand to press her face against the glass.

"Daddy, look! So pwetty!" Alex eyes sweep the glass display cases, looking for the perfect gift for her mother.

"See anything you like for mommy?" Rufus asks Alex who is busy surveying the store.

"Yeah, 'mere daddy," Alex waves her father over and points to a ring with a giant pink diamond in the center.

"She has expensive taste," The woman behind the counter tells Rufus. Rufus isn't impressed with what Alex picked out; he knows Lily wouldn't really care for it. She is more simplistic in her jewelry selection and Rufus is pretty sure that ring is well over a million dollars.

"I think that might be a little too much money Alex. Why don't we pick out something else?" Alex looks crestfallen, but agrees to choose another piece of jewelry. Alex selects, as her second choice, a white gold necklace with tiny pearls interspersed on the chain. Rufus pays for the necklace and hands Alex the bag.

"Daddy, I make card," Alex tells her father as he is adjusting the straps on her car seat.

"Okay Al, let's go back home," Rufus gets in on the other side and tells Isaac they would like to go to the penthouse.

When they get home, Lily is cleaning up some of Alex's toys in the living room.

"Mommy!" Alex exclaims, running toward Lily with the maroon Cartier bag flapping against her side.

"Hey Alex," Lily says as Alex wraps her arms around her legs.

"Look," Alex holds up the bag, which Lily takes.

"I think I should wait until dinner," Lily tells her daughter and picks her up with her free arm, taking them over to the couch.

"No, open," Alex insists, looking to Rufus for confirmation.

"Do you mind?" Lily asks Rufus as he is sitting in a chair next to the couch.

"I don't think she is going to let you wait," Rufus tells Lily with amusement. Lily looks down at Alex's hazel eyes which are twinkling with excitement. To hell with it, Lily thinks while she opens her gift.

"Wow, thank you Alex, this is beautiful. I will wear it with my dress to dinner," Lily tells her daughter as she clasps the jewelry around her neck. It goes perfectly with her black dress with white polka dots. Alex claps her hands with joy,

"I make card." Alex shimmies off Lily's lap and bolts up to her room.

"Alex we are leaving in ten minutes!" Lily yells upstairs, even though she is pretty sure her daughter has no idea what that means. Alex is busy digging out her crayons and coloring books upstairs and doesn't hear her mom. Lily gets off the couch and sits in her husband's lap. "Thanks for the necklace." She presses her nose against the side of his face, stamping a kiss on his cheekbone.

"Alex did pick it out though, she wanted to buy you a million dollar diamond ring."

"Really? Hmm…and you didn't let her because that is what you are getting me right?" Rufus laughs,

"In your dreams Lil, although I am pretty sure you will like my present better." This intrigues Lily; she pulls her head away from his shoulder and quirks an eyebrow.

"Great, where is it?" Lily asks, as her eyes do a panoramic view of the living room.

"You will actually have to wait for it this time." Lily frowns and juts her lower lip out, wanting to see if it will work on her husband. "Sorry Lil, we don't have time." Lily concedes Rufus is right; they have to meet the kids soon.

"Fine, but if I don't like it, can I have the diamond ring instead?" Rufus chuckles and presses a kiss to her temple.

"No, you can have the necklace though." Lily feigns a sigh and gets off of Rufus' lap.

"Alex! We have to go!" Lily yells upstairs. Alex frantically puts the finishing touches on her mom's card and goes downstairs to meet her parents. Her mom already has a black trench coat on and is waiting with Alex's favorite coral pea coat.

"Here ya go," Alex hands Lily the card, which is a scribbled coloring book page.

"Thank you Alex, I will put in on the fridge when we get home," Lily says as she buttons up Alex's coat for her. Alex beams proudly and grabs her mother's hand. Rufus puts his hand on Lily's back, escorting his wife and daughter to the elevator.

"Mommy, Chuck gonna be der?" Alex asks Lily while she is being strapped in to her car seat.

"Yes honey, Chuck is going to be at dinner." Lily closes the door and gets in on the other side, next to Rufus.

"He pwetty mommy," Alex informs her mother and starts playing with her Monkey. Rufus and Lily glance at each other; Lily scrunches her nose at Rufus, who is biting his lip to contain his laughter.

"He is very handsome darling," Lily says to her daughter and turns to laugh into her husband's Gucci blazer.

When they get to the restaurant, all of their kids are already waiting for them. They left two seats open next to each other with the high chair at the edge of the table. Rufus buckles Alex in while Lily exchanges hugs with all of their children.

"My daughter thinks you are pretty," Lily whispers in Chuck's ear. Chuck smirks and waves at Alex who waves back.

"She has good taste," Chuck says and kisses Lily's cheek. They order their food and chat amongst themselves.

"Hey! Its mommy's berday," Alex informs the waiter as he is leaving. The waiter turns around to face the toddler and her mother who is furiously blushing.

"We will be sure to do something about that," The waiter informs Alex and winks at her.

"No, that won't be necessary," Lily tells the waiter, but he is already gone.

"I can't believe Alex just did that," Jenny whispers to Dan and Serena.

"Better her then one of us," Eric tells Jenny and the other kids nod in agreement.

"Mom, open your presents," Serena says to Lily and points to the tiny stack by Chuck.

"Okay, can you hand me them?" Lily asks her eldest daughter. Serena gives the gifts to Lily who dumps them on Alex.

"Can you open them for me, Alex?" Alex nods and tears open Lily's gifts, handing her mom them as they are opened.

Lily gets a new Chanel wallet from Serena, a free night stay in the penthouse suite at the Empire from Chuck, a custom made fuchsia dress by Jenny, tickets to the opera from Eric and the entire Nicholas Sparks anthology from Dan.

"Thank you guys, I really appreciate it," Lily says to her kids.

"Where is your gift Dad?" Dan asks out of curiosity. Lily turns to look at him expectantly.

"I am going to give Lily her gift later," Rufus tells the kids, hoping they will get his meaning. All of the kids, sans Chuck and Alex, make disgusted faces.

"Happy Birthday…" The waiter comes out singing holding a cupcake with a candle in it. The kids join in, being sure to sing as loud as they can to embarrass Lily. Lily buries her head in Rufus' chest until the song is over, not liking all the attention put on her.

"Blow out your candle Lil," Rufus whispers in her ear, just to piss her off. Lily glares at him, but lifts her head up and slides the cupcake over to Alex who eagerly blows on the candle.

"Yay!" Alex claps and starts eating her mom's cupcake. Serena and Dan order cheesecake and Lily orders a glass of wine.

After dessert, the kids all go off in their separate directions, leaving Rufus, Lily and Alex at the table. Alex has chocolate all over her face and hands, as usual. Lily grabs a wipe from the diaper bag to clean her up before they leave.

Back at the penthouse, Rufus takes Alex to bed while Lily does her nightly routine. Rufus comes back into the master bedroom to find Lily already in bed, reading the rest of her book. Rufus quickly changes into his pajamas and slides into bed next to her.

"Can I have my present now?" Lily asks, putting her reading glasses and book back on the nightstand.

"Now I know where Alex gets her impatience from," Rufus teases as Lily straddles him.

"Hmm…well we can both agree she has your stubbornness. I have been patient all day."

"I thought you didn't even want to acknowledge your birthday. When did that change?"

"Rufus!" Lily says in her trademark tone. Rufus rests both hands on her soft thighs, rubbing them slightly.

"Okay, do you remember that conversation over the phone we had after Bart's funeral?" Lily furrows her eyebrows, trying to remember what Rufus is talking about.

"Um…I think so, we were going to go away together, but my mother had to put a stop to that. What does that have to do with anything?" Rufus sighs; she obviously isn't getting what he is trying to tell her.

"Where were we going to go?" Lily stops to think for a second and then a huge smile starts forming.

"A bed and breakfast in Cornwall… Rufus is this for real?"

"We leave tomorrow afternoon," Lily squeals in excitement and leans down to kiss him. Rufus' arms move from her thighs to wrap around her lower back. Lily pulls away and rests her hands on his shoulders.

"Wait, what about Alex? Who is going to watch her while we are gone?" Rufus reaches to tuck her a piece of hair behind her ear,

"Dan and Serena agreed to watch her for the night. I lied before, I wasn't talking to Dan about dinner, but I didn't want your gift to be ruined." Rufus looks a little guilty, but Lily cups his cheek.

"It's okay; I can forgive you for lying to me as long as it serves me." Rufus laughs and slips the nightgown off of her shoulders.

"Really?" Rufus asks as he pulls the gown down so her breasts are exposed. Lily leans in to kiss him,

"Really…" she mumbles against his lips and her hand gets lost under the covers, blindly fumbling for the hem of his gray dress shirt. She pulls the shirt over his head, running her cold hands over his warm skin. Rufus shivers at his wife's touch and rolls them over. He presses a kiss to her lips before disappearing under the blankets, brushing a kiss to her neck, shoulders, breast, stomach, stopping when he reaches her panties. His teeth graze her skin as he takes her underwear off, kicking it towards the foot of the bed. Lily moans and tips her head back into the pillows. He retreats back up to Lily, sweeping a kiss to her lips.

"I am surprised that you let me undress you first," Rufus tells her and sucks on the hollow of her neck.

"That was my thank you gift for surprising me with our trip tomorrow. Now, strip," Lily's hands tumble down his chest until she finds the fabric of his pajama bottoms, roughly yanking them off and taking the boxers with him. She rolls them back over so she is on top. Rufus gently massages her breasts, making Lily arch her body towards him, allowing him to have better access.

"So...beautiful…" Rufus mumbles as he gently eases Lily toward him so he can take her breast into his mouth.

"Oh…Rufus…" Lily gasps as Rufus' tongue swirls around her nipple and then moves over to the other breast. Lily starts rocking her hips over Rufus' erection, feeling the need for him to be inside of her. Rufus groans in response and stops what he is doing. Lily wraps her hand around his erection and guides it inside of her.

"Go slow," Rufus mutters and places his hands on either side of her hips. Lily nods and her hips roll slowly as Rufus tries to match her rhythm. Rufus reaches around her, pulling her in deeper. Lily whimpers slightly and starts picking up the pace, thrusting harder each time. Rufus marvels at his wife's blonde locks cascading down her shoulders and gives her a powerful thrust of his own.

"Yes…ah…Rufus…" With another mutual thrust of their hips they were both sent over the edge, with Lily shuddering and gasping for air as her thighs quivered and the part her that he had reached pulsed with a frenzy while the electric waves of pleasure of Rufus' orgasm raced from his head down to his toes, his arms wrapping around her and pulling her down on top of him, continuing to pump inside of her as of yet unwilling to let go of the incredible sensation.

Lily collapses on top of him, fully spent. Rufus eases himself out of her and rubs soothing circles on her back while they both try to catch their breath.

"Damn…" Rufus mutters while Lily slides into bed next him and stamps a kiss to his chest.

"That was amazing; I am shocked Alex didn't wake up." Rufus wraps an arm around her and kisses the crown of her head.

"I know, I am tired," Rufus whispers, causing Lily to laugh.

"Did I wear you out honey?" Lily pops her head up from Rufus' chest to look at him.

"Goodnight Lil, love you" Rufus says in order to completely avoid her question. Lily victoriously smiles and kisses the corner of Rufus' mouth.

"Night Rufus love you." Lily hears her husband already starting to snore and she shakes her head. Lily tugs the blankets farther up on them and starts to fall asleep.

The next morning, Lily gets up with Alex and does a puzzle with her while they are waiting for Rufus to wake up.

"Mommy?" Alex asks as she snaps a piece into place.

"Yes my darling?" Lily asks distractedly while trying to fit two pieces together.

"Why you not make waffles?" Lily chews on her lower lip and brings her daughter into her lap.

"Daddy makes them a lot better than I do. I can't really cook."

"I know," Alex mumbles and giggles when her mom starts tickling her. Rufus comes down the stairs, a bright smile adorning his face when he sees his wife tickling his daughter. Alex spots Rufus, "Daddy, help!" Rufus rushes over to Lily and Alex, bending down to start tickling the back of Lily's neck. She relinquishes Alex and turns around to wink at Rufus.

"What initiated this tickle war?" Rufus asks, holding his hand out to help Lily up.

"When I told our daughter you make breakfast because I can't cook, she said 'I know'." Lily rolls her eyes at Rufus' raised eyebrows.

"Our daughter is smart, do you want some waffles?" Lily nods and picks Alex up to get her sippy cup from the fridge while Rufus goes over to his prized waffle maker.

"Alex, mommy and daddy are going out of town so you are staying at the loft with Dan and Serena tonight," Lily explains and sets Alex down in her high chair, putting her sippy cup within reach. Alex takes a sip of milk to process this information. She doesn't want her mom and dad to leave her, but she never gets to stay at the loft. Usually, her dad takes her there every once in a while to visit her older half-brother or to pick something up really quick.

"Okay," Alex says to her mom as her dad sets a waffle down in front of her. Alex devours the waffle and adds her comments into her parent's conversation. "I pack now," she says and tries to push herself out of the high chair.

"Hold on sweetie," Rufus slides the tray out and unlatches the buckle so Alex is free. She races upstairs to find her suitcase, leaving her parents alone to talk.

"She took that well," Lily says with relief and stands up to put their dishes in the sink.

"I know I hope she is fine when we drop her off." Lily nods in agreement and turns around to face Rufus.

"Do you mind helping her while I get ready?"

"No, Happy Birthday sweetheart," Rufus mumbles and kisses her forehead before going upstairs after their daughter. Lily discards their dishes in the sink and then goes to the master bedroom.

Rufus steps into Alex's room where the toddler has her clothes strewn about her room, much like her mother when she can't decide what to wear.

"Daddy, I got dis, dis, dis and…dis," Alex yanks a maroon sweater off its hanger. Rufus looks at the three dresses already in the suitcase and realizes his daughter is about to become upset.

"Alex, all you need is an outfit for today and tomorrow and a pair of pajamas." Alex frowns, her plan has been ruined. She takes the dresses out of the tiny pink suitcase and picks out something more sensible to wear. They end up compromising on one dress, a pair of pajamas and Alex being able to pick out today's outfit if it gets Rufus' approval.

"Can you get _a few _of your favorite toys while I go talk to mommy?" Alex nods and already begins the task of selecting a couple things to take to the loft.

Rufus goes into the master bedroom and sees multiple outfits laid out on their bed. He finds Lily in the walk-in closet, debating on whether to pack a black sweater.

"Our daughter has your packing habits, I see." Rufus comments and moves a few dresses out of the way so he can sit down on the bed. Lily scoffs,

"You don't understand because you are a guy. I am guessing it took you under five minutes to pack?" Lily comes out of the closet holding a different black sweater to put in her suitcase.

"Uh…no for your information it took me exactly five minutes," Rufus jokes and disappears into the bathroom so he can get ready.

"Hi mommy!" Alex exclaims as she scampers into her parents' bedroom, leaving her tiny suitcase by the door.

"Hello Alex, are you done packing?"

"Mhmm! I help you now," Alex declares and picks up a royal blue chevron style dress. Lily holds up a one-shoulder crimson Vivienne Westwood dress.

"I like this one," Lily tells her daughter who shakes her head.

"No, dis one," Alex insists and plops in her mother's suitcase. Lily picks Alex up and gently tosses her against the pillows. Alex squeals and races into her one of her favorite parts of the penthouse, her mom's enormous closet. Alex comes out wearing Lily's Marc Jacobs peep toe stilettos. "Dese too mommy!" Lily zips her suitcase and turns around to see Alex stumbling in her shoes.

"Okay darling, don't fall," Lily picks Alex up and slides on the shoes her daughter recommended to her. Alex claps her hands; she is thrilled that her mother took her fashion advice.

"I like dat mommy," Alex says and points to her mom's beige t-shirt dress.

"Thank you honey, where's Monkey?" Alex's eyes widen and she jumps off the bed, running into her room to grab her favorite stuffed animal.

Alex comes back into the master bedroom to find her mom and dad grabbing their suitcases. Alex totters over to hers and rolls it to the top of the stairs. Rufus picks her up with his free hand and takes her down the stairs.

"Do we have everything?" Lily asks Rufus as she glances around the first floor of the penthouse.

"I think so, I told Dan he could always take Alex back here if she wants to." Lily nods and feels her husband tug on her hand. Lily, Rufus and Alex head downstairs and then into the car waiting for them, being sure to say hi to Vanya so Alex can collect her lollipop.

They arrive at the loft about a half an hour later. Dan, Serena and Jenny are already waiting there.

"Hey, Alex," Serena says and picks the toddler up. Alex waves to her other siblings while Lily and Rufus sit down on the couch.

"Anything we need to know?" Dan asks, referring to Alex. Rufus looks over at Lily, letting her do all the talking.

"She is very good; I doubt you will have any problems. Her bedtime is around eight, I don't if she is going to go willingly though. If you have any questions or anything, just call one of us. Um…I don't think I am forgetting anything…" Lily breaks off to look at Rufus who shakes his head. Rufus stands up and claps his wife's hand, bringing her up with him. He can tell Lily is a little hesitant to leave their daughter behind since Alex ended up in the hospital the last time she was gone.

"Alex, come give me and your mom a hug goodbye," Rufus tells her daughter who is already coloring with Dan and Jenny. Alex drops her crayon and runs over to Rufus and Lily. Rufus scoops her up and Alex presses a kiss to his cheek. He passes her over to Lily and Alex repeats the process.

"Bye mommy and daddy, I miss you dis _damn _much." Rufus and Lily freeze and glance at each other, did Alex really just say that? Serena, Dan and Jenny hang in the background exchanging shocked looks with one another, curious as to how their parents are going to handle this.

Rufus is the first to speak, "Alex, where did you learn that word?"

"You, daddy," Alex says with the honestly only a small child can possess. Lily glares at him, silently telling him to fix this or he can forget about touching her for a long time.

"Um…Alex well that is a bad word. I don't want you saying that word anymore okay?" Rufus doesn't want to scold his daughter since it is technically his fault.

"Why you say it daddy?" Alex inquires, her hazel eyes widening. Rufus swallows, how the hell does he respond to that?

"I can say it because I am an adult. You are too young to be saying words like that okay Alex?"

"Okay, I not say dat word," Alex tells her parents, smiling at them to smooth things over. Lily breathes a sigh of relief and Rufus sets her down on the floor. Serena, Dan and Jenny are trying not to laugh at the scene that just unfolded before them.

"Have a great trip and Happy Birthday Lily," Jenny says. Lily wordlessly turns around and walks out of the loft. Rufus stays behind for a second,

"Wish me luck," he waves goodbye to his and Lily's kids and follows his pissed off wife to the car. He slides in next to her and waits for her to yell at him for what Alex said. "Just say whatever you need to say Lil; there is no use in dragging it out."

"I think that we need to be more careful in what we say in front of Alex, she has obviously gotten to that age where she mimics everything we say and do." _What? She isn't going to give me the silent treatment? Yes! _Rufus thinks to himself as the car starts moving.

"You are right and I am sorry. You are a lot better at that than I am." Lily gives him a "duh" look and cuddles closer to him.

"At least she didn't say she will miss us this _fucking _much," Lily comments and watches Rufus' drop open, he isn't used to his wife swearing.

"Now I see where Alex gets her potty mouth from," Lily angrily stares at him and jabs Rufus in the ribs. "OW!"

"Oh you deserved that," Lily laughs and leans up to kiss his cheek.

"Go to sleep will you? I don't want you falling asleep on me during sex." Rufus tells her and earns a swat on the arm. He wraps an arm around her as Lily rests her head on his shoulder.

Back at the loft, Alex has already colored a few pages in her book and is starting to get bored. The loft isn't as cool as she thought it would be there aren't many toys here. Serena can sense Alex's boredom and is surprised it took her this long; the loft isn't really an entertaining place for a two-year-old.

"Alex, do you want to go shopping?" Serena asks and sees the toddler instantly perk up.

"Yeah! 'Mon Swenea, Jenny, Dan," Alex gets her Monkey and tugs on her half sister's hand.

"I am going to stay back and write a little, but you have fun," Dan tells Serena, Jenny and Alex. Alex is indifferent and is waiting by the loft door for Serena and her other sister.

"You owe me," Serena whispers and collects her Celine bag off the couch. Jenny picks Alex up and allows her to open the loft door and then closes it behind them and Serena.

"Wake up Rufus," Lily says when she can see the bed and breakfast approaching. The Cornwall Inn is a colonial mansion situated on a large lawn. Rufus jerks awake and looks out the window as the limo pulls to a stop. Lily is already out of the car, instructing Isaac to bring their bags inside. Rufus opens the door and snags his wife's hand, leading her inside the house.

"Checking in for Humphrey," Rufus tells the woman behind the desk.

"Of course, I will lead you to your room," The older woman takes the couple upstairs and unlocks the door for them. "Congratulations on your honeymoon Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey."

"Thank you," Rufus says before Lily can interject. The woman smiles at Rufus and closes the door behind her.

"I didn't know we were on our honeymoon, Rufus?" Lily asks with confusion.

"We get a discounted rate and a bigger room," Rufus explains.

"Right, well are you hungry? We didn't get a chance to eat lunch and I am starving." Rufus looks at the clock; it is a getting close to six.

"We have a reservation at six, shall we?" Rufus holds his arm out for his wife. Lily loops her arm through his and allows him to bring her out of the room and to a restaurant close to the Cornwall Inn.

"This is so cute," Lily tells Rufus as her eyes sweep the place. It is a tiny café with a fireplace near the back. Rufus nods while he is glancing over the menu. The waiter comes by to take their drink orders, giving them a chance to make their dinner selection. Their drinks arrive quickly and they order their entrée.

"What do you want to do tomorrow?" Rufus asks and takes a sip of his beer. Lily follows suit with her wine, giving herself a chance to think.

"Hmm…I am not sure, maybe walk around town a little bit. What time do you think we should get back?" Their conversation is put on hold for a minute while the waiter puts their food down in front of them. Rufus and Lily give each other a portion of the other's food to try.

"I am sure Alex would like to see us before she goes down for her nap. Speaking of Alex, have you heard from Serena or Dan at all?" Lily checks her phone to see a text from Serena.

"Serena says that Alex got bored of the loft so she and Jenny took her shopping." Lily sets her phone back in her purse and concentrates on her meal.

"I would like to propose a toast…" Rufus ignores his wife's eye roll, "to us and Happy 42nd birthday." He holds up his beer bottle to clink with Lily's wife's wine glass, but she hesitates.

"24th,"

"What?"

"Rufus, I am 24, not 42."

"Uh huh," They bring their bottles together and then their lips.

"Mmm...What do you say we get out of here?" Lily whispers seductively in his ear. Rufus drops some money on the table and helps Lily slip her coat on. Lily intertwines their fingers, leaning on Rufus' arm while he drops a kiss on the top of her head. They walked back to their room in a comfortable silence.

"I am going to call Dan," Rufus tells her and pulls out his phone. Lily sits on the bed with her feet up while Rufus dials. "Dan? Hey, do you have your laptop and my youngest daughter handy? Yeah…okay…we will load it up now…okay…bye."

"What's going on?" Lily asks as she is yawning. Rufus pulls his laptop out of his suitcase and boots it up.

"I thought we could Skype our kids," Rufus sits on the bed next to her. Lily comes up behind him and loosely drapes her arms around his shoulders.

"What a good idea, you must really want some tonight huh?" Rufus swivels his head to look at her, a smirk chasing across his mouth.

"Maybe, now come here," Rufus pats his legs and clicks on Skype. Lily releases her arms and carefully sits in his lap. They click on Dan's name and wait for him and Alex to come on the screen.

"Daddy, mommy!" Alex cries and waves. Rufus waves hi to Dan who is hiding in the background.

"Hello my darling how was your day?" Lily asks their daughter.

"Mommy! I shop and I got dis!" Alex scurries off of Dan's lap to grab her new pink shirt.

"Wow, who got you that Alex?" Rufus asks and tilts the screen up.

"Sewena! We watch movie soon," Alex informs her parents.

"Alex, why don't you go find Monkey?" Dan suggests and sets Alex on the floor.

"You look tired son," Rufus comments. Dan glares at him, but still maintains a smile.

"I don't know how you guys do it every day." Rufus and Lily glance at each other and grin.

"I'm sorry Dan, she is definitely a handful. We should be back in the early afternoon tomorrow." Lily tells her stepson.

"Okay, Alex do you want to say goodnight to your mom and dad?" Dan asks and hoists Alex up again.

"Bye mommy and daddy, I wuv you," Alex says and blows a kiss into the computer screen.

"Night sweetie, we love you too," Lily says for the both of them. They each close out Skype.

"Dan? I wanna go home," Alex says, her eyes brimming with tears. Before Dan has a chance to answer, Serena stumbles into the loft. She looks at Dan and then sees Alex's tears.

"What's wrong Alex?" Serena asks with concern, she doesn't want the toddler to have a meltdown on her watch.

"I wanna go home," Alex says as a tear rolls down her cheek. Serena gathers Alex into her arms and nods at Dan.

"I'll take you back home; let's get your stuff together."

Rufus and Lily are still lounging on the bed after their Skype call with their kids.

"What do you want to do?" Rufus asks, turning slightly to gather Lily into his arms. Lily turns to look at him and captures his lips with his. Rufus moans and immediately twines his fingers through her hair. In no time at all, Lily is on top of him, ripping his shirt off and tossing it aside. Without stopping, her hands divert to his pants, shoving the boxers down with them. She rocks her hips over his erection as he starts the process of undressing her. He removes her dress, gently tossing it on the floor, knowing that if he ruined her favorite dress he would never hear the end of it. Her bra goes next, pausing to tenderly knead her breasts before moving his hands downward towards her underwear.

"Yes...oh…" is all Rufus can make out from Lily as he rolls his tongue over both of her nipples. She lifts up her hips so he can slip her underwear off, leaving both of them completely naked. He reached between their bodies, slipping a finger inside of her, swirling it around until he knows she is ready for him. Her lips crashes onto his while they roll over so she is now on the bottom. She grasps his hips, gently guiding him into her. Rufus lets out a moan and starts out slow, in and out, thrusting harder and faster into each time.

"Lil…shit…" Rufus mumbles. Lily tips her head up, placing sloppy kisses on his shoulders and biceps as he continues his unrelenting pace. Lily clasps his hand as her body withers against him, sensing that her peak is near.

"Ugh!" Lily cries out as her legs go stiff around him, letting her body take over. Rufus slams into her several more times until he finds his release. The only noise is in the room stems from their panting, each trying unsuccessfully to catch their breath. "Rufus…ow…" Lily gently tries to push him off of her, feeling crushed underneath him.

"Sorry…" Rufus mutters and rolls off of her, pressing a kiss to her lips in the process. Lily snuggles closer to him, resting her head on his chest.

"Much better," Lily skates her hand up and down his chest. Suddenly, something catches Rufus' eye and he jumps out of bed. Lily follows him with her eyes, smiling when he yanks the champagne bottle out of the ice bucket. Her happiness is marred by him disappearing into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Lily hears the water running and Rufus whistling, causing her to shake her head.

Back in Manhattan, Serena and Alex step off the elevator at the penthouse.

"Alright Alex, let's get you dressed into your pajamas," Serena says and takes Alex to her room. She quickly changes and redresses Alex. "Where do you want to sleep?" Alex thinks for a moment and scampers out of her room. Serena follows her and frowns when Alex leads her into the master bedroom. She would rather not sleep there with Alex because she knows that Rufus and Lily have had sex in that bed multiple times. She won't tell her younger sister that however, she doesn't want to traumatize her.

"Here," Alex says and spread-eagles on top of the covers. Serena sighs, there is no way she is leaving Alex alone, but she can't sleep in there.

"How about we set up in your dad's office? There is a TV in there," Serena proposes. Alex grabs her Monkey and leads her older sibling into Rufus' office, plopping down on the white leather couch. Serena puts an old Disney movie into the DVD player and sits next to her sister, pressing play when the menu screen pops up.

Rufus comes out of the bathroom, frowning when he sees his wife's eyes are closed.

"Did you fall asleep on me Lil?" Rufus asks, nudging her slightly. Lily's eyes flicker open and she shakes her head. "Good, get up."

"Pft," is all Lily says as she pulls the covers closer to her chin.

"Sweetheart come on, let's take a bath, it will be nice and warm." Lily sighs, essentially giving into her husband. Rufus pulls the covers back and scoops Lily up, keeping her close to him. Lily instinctively coils her arms around his neck as he walks them into the bathroom. He sets her down gently in the hot water, letting the bubbles engulf her.

"Can we have some champagne?" Lily asks before Rufus slips into the tub with her. Rufus grabs two glasses and the bottle prior to joining his wife in the bath. He pops the cork away from them, almost hitting the glass mirror. Rufus tries to make some of the amber liquid go into the glasses and hands one to Lily. She accepts it graciously and leans back into his arms a little.

"Are you having a good birthday?" Rufus asks as he stamps a kiss to her temple.

"Hmmm…the best, I just hope Alex is okay." Rufus can't help but smile, even on Lily's birthday, she is always thinking of their children.

"I am sure she is fine, I told Serena or Dan to call us if there is an issue." Rufus senses Lily nod against his shoulder while he takes a sip of champagne.

"Are you glad that I didn't fall asleep during sex? Where did that come from anyway?" Rufus blushes, he was hoping that Lily wouldn't ask about that.

"Oh nothing…" Lily turns to arch an eyebrow, letting him know he owes her an explanation. "Alright, if I tell you, you have to tell me something."

"Something, as in an embarrassing sex story…" Rufus nods, "What if it involves you?" Lily burst into laughter when his eyes widen.

"Does it?" Rufus can feel his cheeks heat up. Lily slides out of his arms to sit across from him in the bathtub.

"Darling, if it was about you, we wouldn't still be married. Although, that time when my mother caught us was pretty embarrassing, but I am getting off topic here, continue with your story." Rufus lets out a sigh; he wishes his wife wasn't so stubborn sometimes.

"Fine, shortly after Jenny was born, Alison and I were…you know…having sex and she fell asleep in the middle of it." Rufus looks away from Lily, who is laughing against her glass.

"Oh…well…did you ask her why?" Lily asks once she stops laughing.

"I did and she said that she already finished, but I didn't." Lily tips her head down to laugh some more, her husband looks like a kicked puppy. She reaches her hand to caress his cheek,

"Honey, I am so sorry, but that is hilarious!" Rufus rolls his eyes and lets his wife laugh at his misfortune for a few more minutes.

"Enough, will you tell me your story now?" Lily wipes her eyes and takes the last gulp of her drink.

"Fine, Bart and I were on our honeymoon and we were in bed, having sex. In the middle of sex, his phone rings and he answers it! So naturally, I wait for him to be done, although I am really irritated at this point. He tears himself away from his conversation to ask why I stopped." Rufus' shoulders shake as he tries to contain his laughter.

"Oh wow, that is bad. Alison sneezed on me as she was having an orgasm."

"William high fived me and told me 'good job'. I think at that point we both knew our marriage was over."

"I am going to do that to you the next time we have sex." Rufus jokes, just to rile his wife up.

"You do that and I will cough right into your mouth when you kiss me." Rufus wrinkles his nose,

"Are you ready to get out?" Lily reaches behind her to unplug the drain, sending the water away. Rufus gets out first to grab them both towels. He wraps one around his waist and holds out one for Lily. She stands up and walks into the towel, allowing her husband to wrap it around her.

"Mmm...Thank you," Lily lifts her heels up to inch closer to his face, but Rufus backs away. "What?"

"I don't want you to cough." Rufus flashes an adorable grin at Lily. She shakes her head before meshing her lips with his. They swap kisses as they back up towards the bed.

Serena is bored. It's only ten o'clock, Alex is passed out and she has no interest in watching this children's movie. She can't just leave Alex by herself however, and she is positive Blair doesn't want to babysit with her. In fact, Serena is pretty sure that Blair is out with Chuck right now. She sighs to herself; there is nothing to do at the penthouse.

Serena ends up in the master bedroom, spotting a picture of her mom and Rufus on the nightstand. It was taken while Lily was pregnant with Alex, but it wasn't one of the pictures taken during their family photo shoot.

In the picture, Rufus is behind Lily, smiling as he kisses her cheek with his arms wrapped around her expanded stomach. Lily is beaming at the camera and has her hands on top of Rufus'. Serena gives a closed lipped smile and puts the frame back on the nightstand, making her way over to the walk in closet. She knows she shouldn't be snooping, but Serena wants to see if her mom has any clothes worth borrowing.

Lily and Rufus make their way back to the bed. Rufus detaches himself from his wife to get under the covers. They meet in the middle and cuddle close to each other.

"Did you have a good birthday?" Rufus asks Lily.

"I did, thank you; this was such a sweet idea." Lily yawns and puts her hand in the middle of Rufus' chest.

"Go to sleep, we will have more fun in the morning, I promise." Rufus whispers as he hears Lily's breathing even out.

The next morning, Rufus stretches and rubs his eyes. He turns to face Lily who is surprisingly still sleeping. He smiles softly and brushes a kiss to her forehead before sneaking out of the room.

Alex's eyes flicker open to discover that she is alone in her daddy's office. She clutches her monkey close to her chest; she doesn't know where Serena went. Did her sister leave her here by herself? Alex gets off the couch and toddles into her room, maybe Serena slept in there. Seeing no Serena in sight, Alex goes into her parent's bedroom, spotting Serena tucked in on her mommy's side of the bed. Alex throws her monkey on the bed and then heaves herself onto her daddy's side.

"Sewena," Alex lightly hits her sister's arm. Serena wakes up and frowns when she realizes that she did indeed sleep in her mom's bed. _Gross, _Serena thinks to herself and wonders how she ended up here. She was trying on a few of her mom's new dresses and then fell asleep reading The Beautiful and the Damned, her favorite book.

"Hey Alex, did you sleep well?" Serena asks her voice still husky with sleep.

"Yup! I want waffles."

"Alex, I can't make waffles like your dad." Alex's eyebrow crinkles with worry, that is what she always has for breakfast, what is going on here?

"Sewena, waffles." Serena bites her lip, she needs to come with an alternative before she has a pissed off two year old on her hands.

"How about this, we can go out for breakfast and you can get waffles there? I can't cook." Alex nods; her mommy says the same thing.

"Okay, I poop," Alex points to her diaper and Serena crinkles her nose in disgust.

Rufus comes back into their room carrying a tray full of breakfast goodies. Lily is still in a deep slumber and has stolen his pillow. He sets the tray down on the bedside table and sits on the bed. Lily notices the shift in weight and rolls towards him.

"Hi," Lily whispers, smiling when she spots the assortment of food her husband brought her.

"Hi," Rufus mumbles, bending down to kiss her cheek. "I brought you some food." Lily wraps the sheet around herself before sitting up in bed.

"Thank you, can you hand me my bra?" Lily asks before Rufus can put the tray on her lap. Rufus juts his lower lip out,

"Can't you just eat naked?" Lily laughs and shakes her head. Rufus acquiesces and heads over to her suitcase, searching through it until he finds a bra. He tosses it over his shoulder, making Lily reach for it. She quickly clasps it on and Rufus hands her the tray of food before climbing in bed beside her.

"Thank you Rufus, this was delicious," She swallows her bite of food and pecks him on the lips. He scoots closer towards her and starts placing kisses on the side of her neck. Lily moans and tilts her neck to give him better access.

"We should just stay in bed," Rufus whispers onto her skin and nibbles on her shoulder.

"I would love to, but we can do that at home. I am going to get ready and then we can go." Lily turns to kiss him one last time before slipping out of bed. She sashays over to her suitcase to pick out matching panties, leggings and a white sweater. Lily goes into the bathroom and shuts the door behind her. Rufus scowls,

"Hey, why did you close the door?" Lily laughs,

"I thought I would spare you the disappointment of seeing me get dressed." Rufus changes out of his pajamas and into jeans, a flannel long-sleeve shirt and a leather jacket. Lily quickly gets dressed and puts her makeup on. She comes out with a toiletry bag which she puts back into the suitcase. Rufus checks his phone before they leave,

"Serena took Alex back to the penthouse to sleep; apparently Alex didn't like the loft too much."

"Oh, well, we should go so we can get home." Rufus nods in agreement and rests his hand on the small of her back. They leave their bags in the room so Isaac can pick them up later.

"Where do you want to go exactly?" Rufus asks as he removes his hand from her back to interlock their fingers. Lily shrugs,

"I'm not sure; I was just hoping we could walk around."

"Okay, after you," Rufus uses his free hand to open the door from the mansion, which bleeds out into the town. They walk along the sidewalk, admiring the laid back atmosphere which contrasts the city.

"Do you think you could ever live in a place like this? I mean, it would be safer for Alex," Lily asks. Rufus shakes his head,

"No, the city has been good for the kids. I think this place is too small, what about you?"

"I don't know, when we first were together twenty years ago, I had this idea that we would be married with a couple of kids, living on some ranch in Connecticut or Vermont. Then I realized how boring our lives would have turned out." Rufus furrows his eyebrows,

"Don't we kind of have that life now, minus the ranch of course?" Lily opens her mouth and shuts it again.

"Well…kind of…but our lives aren't boring, right?"

"Not in the slightest, we have way too many kids and you have way too many ex-husbands for our lives to be uninteresting." Lily coils her arms around his forearm and leans into him. Suddenly, Rufus spots an outdoor ice skating rink and breaks their arms. Lily follows Rufus' gaze and vigorously shakes her head back and forth.

"Rufus, no, you know I can't skate."

"Aw Lil, come on, I know how to skate." Lily wants to protest more, but her husband looks so excited and he did plan this trip for her birthday.

"Fine, but if I fall, I am taking you down with me." Rufus gives her a dopey grin and drags Lily to the skate rink.

"Go slow Lil," Rufus gets on the ice first and holds out his hand for Lily. She eases herself onto the ice, wobbling a little. Rufus swivels around and grabs both of her hands to provide more stabilization. Lily is a little scared, but focuses on moving her feet in accordance with Rufus'.

"Okay, this isn't that hard," Lily mutters and eases her grip on her husband's hands. Rufus mischievously grins, deciding to test her a little. He releases their hands completely and turns around, wanting to see if Lily can skate by herself.

"Rufus! No, I can't…" Lily crashes onto the ice with a loud boom and a curse word. Rufus turns around and skates toward her. Lily is furious with him, her butt is wet and she is freezing, she knew she should have never gotten onto the ice.

"Mad?" Rufus asks, holding his hand out for her. Lily sweetly smiles at him and accepts his hand, roughly yanking on it so he falls.

"Yup," Lily nips on his earlobe and stands up, leaving him on the ground. Rufus shrugs, he guesses he deserved that. He gets back to his feet and skates toward Lily, grabbing her hand from behind.

"Let's go Lil, we have more to see."

"Good idea, I am so cold," Lily tells him as they step off the rink. Rufus glides his hands up and down her forearm to create some heat. Lily kisses him and they take their skates off, putting their shoes back on. They resume their walk through town hand in hand.

"Should we call Serena before we go anywhere?" Rufus asks and takes out his phone.

"Good idea," Lily stops to window shop while Rufus dials her daughter.

"Hey Rufus, Alex and I just went out to breakfast," Serena tells her stepfather when she answers.

"Good, are you guys doing okay?" Lily turns her head at the sound of her husband's question.

"Yeah, do you want to talk to her?"

"Sure, put her on," Rufus motions for Lily to come near him. She makes a mental note to go into that store and walks over to her husband. There is some shuffling on the other end and Rufus can hear Serena telling Alex to talk into the phone.

"Hi daddy!" Alex exclaims. Lily grins at the sound of her daughter's voice; it is such a refreshing sound to hear.

"Hi sweetie, are you having fun?"

"Mhmm! I eat waffles."

"You did? Were they as good as mine?"

"No daddy," Alex says as if it was obvious. Rufus suppresses an eye roll and his eyes flutter over to Lily's.

"Do you want to talk to mommy?"

"Yeah!" Rufus passes the phone over to Lily and points to a wine shop across the street. Lily nods and goes back to her phone call.

"Hi my darling."

"Hi mommy! I eat food and shop and watch movie," Alex informs her mother. Lily laughs and starts walking toward the shop Rufus said he was going to be at.

"That's great Alex, do you want some candy?"

"Yeah, lollipop mommy."

"Alright darling, can you put Serena on the phone?"

"Here," Alex hands the phone back to Serena and starts chasing after a bird in Central Park.

"Hey mom, what's up?"

"Do you want some candy? Rufus and I are going to get your sister something."

"Uh yeah, if you see some chocolate covered strawberries, I would like some."

"Okay, we should be back in a couple of hours. Thanks for watching Alex."

"No problem, I have to go," Serena says when she realizes she can't see Alex anymore. Lily's eyebrows shoot together, Serena seemed adamant on getting off the phone, she hopes nothing is wrong.

Lily opens the door to the wine shop and sees Rufus holding two bottles of wine, seeming to be deciding between the two.

"Hey, I told Serena we would be home in about two hours or so. It was weird, though, she couldn't get off the phone fast enough." Rufus turns to face Lily,

"Oh, we should get going soon then. Which one do you want?"

"The cabernet, I promised we would get the kids candy."

"Okay, we are too nice to them sometimes," Rufus coils an arm around her waist and they head toward the checkout counter.

"Alex!" Serena yells as her flicker frantically around Central Park. "Damn it," She never should have left her sister out of her sight. Her mom and Rufus are going to murder her if she doesn't come home with their daughter. Serena heads toward the duck pond, knowing that Alex likes to chase the birds.

"Sewena, look," Alex says and points to Blair and Dorota. Serena breathes a heavy sigh of relief; she is so lucky that Alex ran into her best friend.

"Alex, you can't just run off like that," Serena admonishes. Blair hands Alex some bread to throw to the ducks.

"Sorry, I chase bird," Alex points to the pond where the ducks are swimming.

"Relax S, why are you watching little Humphrey anyway?" Blair asks her best friend.

"My mom and Rufus went on a mini vacation for my mom's birthday. I was left in charge with Alex."

"Ah you and Lonely Boy playing house for the day, I am glad that little Humphrey is still alive."

"Thanks B for the vote of confidence. I only have lost Alex once and found her within a couple minutes."

"Blair, I Alex," Alex informs her sister's best friend, getting tired of being referred to as little Humphrey. Blair smiles at the toddler, impressed that the two year old can pick up at such things.

"We better go, I will see you later B. Come on Alex, let's go find Chuck." Alex immediately perks up and grabs Serena's hand, eager to locate her half brother.

"Lil, come here," Rufus waves her over and points to a giant lollipop as big as Alex's head.

"Rufus, that is way too big for her! Can we get her something more practical?" Rufus sighs and slumps his shoulders.

"Fine, I guess we can settle for a smaller lollipop," Rufus grabs the sucker slightly smaller than the one before.

Serena finds Chuck on the Gossip Girl spotted map, apparently he hasn't left the suite at the Empire.

"We are going to Chuck's house to surprise him," Serena tells her sister and picks her up.

They walk into Chuck's suite to find him and Nate with some girls.

"Chuck! What are you doing?" Serena asks her brother, shielding Alex's eyes. Chuck and Nate freeze and push the girls off of them.

"What are you doing here?" Chuck asks. Alex gets out of Serena's arms and walks over to Chuck, waving hi to the girl that has her arms around him.

"What you doin Chuck?" Alex asks, climbing onto his lap.

"Having some friends over," Chuck smugly smiles at Nate.

"Oh, hi!" Alex waves to the girls, presumably prostitutes. Serena walks over to Alex and yanks her off of Chuck's lap. "Bye, Chuck!" Alex waves over Serena's shoulder.

Rufus opens the limo door for Lily and closes the door behind him. The car starts rolling, heading back to Manhattan. Lily surprises Rufus by straddling him, placing a passionate kiss on his lips.

"I had a wonderful time, thank you so much for taking me on this trip," Lily mumbles against his lips. Rufus rakes his fingers through her hair, pulling her in for another kiss.

"You're welcome; I had fun too, except for sharing my embarrassing story with you." Lily bites her lower lip, a smile blossoming on her face.

"Well, we both have dirt on each other so I won't share yours as long as you don't share mine, deal?" Rufus nods and grazes a kiss over her lips.

"Yes, although the next time I see William, I might have to high five him."

"Rufus, don't you dare!"

**A/N 2: That is all! Next is the final chapter of Clean Slate! If there is anything you would like to see, now is the time to let me know. Please leave a review on your way out and thanks for reading!**


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: This is the end of the road, the last chapter of **_**Clean Slate. **_**I would like to thank every single person that has taken the time to read and review my story, I really appreciate it. This chapter takes place during September and is rated M. Enjoy!**

**Chapter Thirty**

Sometimes, even when you don't mean to, things can spiral out of control. A thought, action or word can have unforeseen damaging consequences. You can hurt the one you love the most without ever having the intention to.

Rufus Humphrey's phone rings while he is busy working at the gallery. He picks it up without even looking, assuming it is either his wife or one of their kids.

"Hello this is Rufus," He says distractedly as he signs a piece of paperwork.

"Hi Mr. Humphrey, this is Jill Bauer from the York Avenue Preschool." Rufus furrows his eyebrows, why would this lady from a preschool be calling him?

"Oh, can I ask what this is about?"

"I was just calling to tell you that your daughter, Alexandria Humphrey, has been accepted into our three-year-old program." Okay, now Rufus definitely no idea what this woman is talking about. When did Alex even be considered?

"Uh…thank you, that is wonderful news, may I ask how this happened?" The lady on the other end clears her throat,

"Your wife came in with your daughter to look at our school on Tuesday. I know its last minute since school starts on Monday, but if you can manage to get Alex ready we would love to have her." This is news to Rufus; Lily never mentioned anything about taking Alex to a preschool. They talked about sending Alex to school this year, but Rufus figured Lily wanted to wait until next year given that she never brought it up again, obviously he was wrong.

"Well I would have to talk to my wife," _even though she never talked to me, _"and get back to you. I am sure we would love to send our daughter to your school." Rufus says goodbye and lets the phone roll onto the counter. Why does Lily always do this? Her first thought is never to come to him with her concerns; she usually thinks it's better to figure things out on her own.

Rufus checks the time on his phone, it's almost five. Lily is expecting him home for dinner, although he really doesn't want to go to the penthouse. If he calls Lily and tells him that he is just going to crash at the loft, she will want to know why. Rufus will most likely lie to her and say he wants to have dinner with Dan or something. He doesn't want to do that though because then he would be acting exactly like her. Unlike his wife, he would rather deal with their problems head on regardless of the potential fallout.

He locks up the gallery and hitches a ride back to the penthouse, biting back a smile when he sees his wife and their daughter playing on the floor with blocks.

"Hi daddy! Look what mommy and me did," Alex points to the tower. Lily gets off the floor and smiles at her husband. Rufus manages a tiny grin, not wanting Alex to see that he is upset with her mother. Lily leans into him to brush a kiss to his cheek, pulling back when she senses him tense under his touch. It is subtle, something that she wouldn't have picked up on if she hadn't been with Rufus for so long.

"Are you okay?" Lily whispers while Alex scurries off to get her sippy cup off the coffee table for dinner. Rufus turns to make sure Alex is out of hearing range before answering his wife.

"Do you have something that you want to tell me?" He asks, trying to reign in his anger. Lily's eyebrows shoot together; she bites her lip while she thinks of something that could be wrong.

"No, I don't think so. Why?" Rufus narrows his eyes at her, how can she just lie right to his face like that?

"Then no, I am not okay and I am not hungry either. I am going to the loft." He lowers his voice so Alex can't listen to their conversation. Lily is baffled, what the hell is happening? What could she have done to make Rufus so angry at her? Rufus turns to leave, but Lily reaches out to put a hand on his arm. Rufus gently shrugs her off, but doesn't attempt to flee the penthouse quite yet.

"Rufus please don't leave. Can we talk first?" Rufus tilts his head at Lily. Either she is a really great actress or she genuinely has no idea what Rufus is talking about. He acquiesces, but she better have a good explanation for keeping this from him.

"Alex, can you play down here while mommy and daddy talk really fast?" Lily asks their daughter.

"I hungy mommy," Alex pouts, holding up her empty sippy cup for emphasis.

"I know my darling, but this is important. We will be right back and then we can have dinner okay?" Alex shrugs and sets her sippy cup down on the table. Lily and Rufus head upstairs and into Rufus' office, oddly enough, this is their favorite place to fight in.

Rufus shuts the door to his office and locks it, not wanting Alex to interfere. Lily paces around the perimeter; she isn't sure why Rufus is so mad at her and she doesn't know what to do fix it.

"Rufus, what is going on with you? Whatever I did, you can tell me." Rufus sighs, he should just tell instead of trying to drag it out of her, Alex is waiting downstairs and she is notoriously impatient.

"I got a call from a woman at the York Avenue Preschool; apparently our daughter has been accepted." Excitement chases across Lily's face for a moment, but then it fades because she realizes that Rufus is still angry at her.

"Oh she was? That's great, but why are you upset?" Rufus stares at her, she really doesn't get it.

"Why am I…I am mad at you because you didn't tell me. You made a significant choice regarding _our _child without consulting me first." Lily holds up her finger to stop him.

"No, I took Alex to the preschool to see if she would like it, you were with Panic and I couldn't reach you. I wasn't going to pick a preschool without talking to you first. I wouldn't do that to you Rufus, I am trying to learn to come to you with any important decisions." Lily splashes her hand on his cheek, gliding her thumb up and down.

"I am sorry Lil; I didn't mean to assume the worst in you." Lily leans into stamp a kiss to his lips,

"That's funny; you usually presume the best in me." Rufus bites his lower lip,

"I guess marrying you has turned me cynical." He tips his head down to nip at her neck. Lily tilts her head to give her better access and then gently pushes him away.

"We left our three year old downstairs and she is apparently starving," She explains when his eyebrows spurt together. Rufus nods in understanding and reaches his hand to rest on her back, lightly guiding her out of the room. Alex is waiting downstairs on the couch, coloring a page in her book with a frown adorning her usual upbeat mood.

"Sorry to keep you waiting darling," Lily tells to ebb her daughter's frustration. Alex glances up at her parents', her daddy isn't as mad as before and mommy has something on her neck. Alex giggles as she points to her mommy.

"Why are you laughing at mommy, sweetie?" Rufus asks in amusement. Alex walks over to her dad and nudges at her dad's legs, wanting him to pick her up. Rufus scoops her off the ground as they move toward the dining room.

"Mommy has somefin der, it's like a cherry," Alex says and taps her neck to show her mom. Rufus moves his head to look closer at his wife, realizing that their daughter is right.

"What the…" Lily hurries across the living room and into the nearest bathroom she can find. Sure enough, there is a decent sized hickey taking shape on her neck. Rufus waits for it…"RUFUS!" _ah, there it is, _Rufus thinks to himself as he hears Lily's heels pound back towards him. Rufus' eyes flutter down to Alex; they exchange smiles while Lily couldn't be less pleased.

"Yes sweetheart?" Rufus is aware that he is pushing his luck, but he can't help himself, this is just too good to pass up. Lily glares at him and purses her lips, contemplating whether to debate this newfound blotch on her skin in front of their toddler.

"We will discuss this later," Lily grounds out and swipes Alex from him, retreating into the dining room where their dinner is already chilling. Rufus conceals a huge smile with his hand, proud of himself for leaving his mark on Lily. He waits a few seconds for his smirk to dissipate before joining his wife and daughter in the dining room. Lily is busy cutting up some meat for Alex to nibble on and doesn't notice Rufus sliding into the seat beside her.

"Alex, your mom and I want to talk to you about something," Rufus begins as Lily sits down. Alex's eyes widen, she shifts in her high chair and waits for one of her parents to talk. Lily swallows her bite and swivels her head, Rufus' silence indicates to her that he would rather have start the discussion.

"Remember when you and I went to that school a couple days ago to look around?" Lily waits for Alex to understand what she is saying and nods back. "Well, would you like to start going there soon?" While they are letting Alex decide, Rufus cups his hand around Lily's thigh, using his thumb to draw circles on her knee cap.

"What do I do der mommy?" Alex asks with trepidation, she isn't sure what her parents are asking her. Lily pauses for a second to reach down and clench Rufus' hand, silently telling him to stop.

"You aren't off the hook yet," Lily whispers in his ear and kisses the side of his face, right over his stubble. Lily starts chatting with Alex about all the possibilities preschool has to offer. Rufus studies his wife, trying to detect her anger, which he likes to compare to the nine circles of Hell. Based on her little flirtation a couple seconds ago, he is guessing that she is irritated, but not to the point of actual aggravation. She isn't going to deny him sex, but he is going to have to work for it.

"Hmmm…I go to school, but I shop first?" Alex asks her mother and father.

"She has her priorities in order," Rufus mumbles so only Lily can hear. Lily shoots a grin at him before responding to their daughter.

"Sure honey, we will get you a nice outfit for your first day of school." Lily can't believe her youngest child is starting school in a few days, she knows that it is inevitable, but still. Alex claps her hands in excitement, she loves getting new things, especially clothes and toys.

"When do we go?" Alex asks Lily and then takes a sip of milk from her sippy cup.

"Well, we have the party tomorrow for Chuck's work, but we can go before then. Sound good?" Alex hesitates for a second, tapping her index finger on her cheek.

"I check," Alex says. Lily and Rufus glance at each other, when did their three-year-old get such a busy schedule? Alex is a little nervous at the prospect of going to school, but a new dress would help pacify her.

"Okay darling, try to fit that in between your nap and lunch," Lily sarcastically comments. Rufus chuckles slightly and unhooks Alex from her high chair. Alex darts into the living room to pick up her toys so she can watch a movie before bed.

"Am I taking Alex to the loft for the night for Chuck's party or is she staying here?" Rufus asks as he and Lily clean up the dishes. Lily sets the dishes down on the counter,

"Um…honestly, I don't know. I mean, I want you here with me, and it is an event designed for children, but Alex starts school the next day." Rufus' quirks his eyebrows,

"She starts school the day after tomorrow? That's rather quick Lil." Lily sighs and rubs her face with her hands,

"I know, but I would hate to hold off a year. Besides, I think Alex is ready, but I don't know if I am." Rufus senses her anxiety and extends his arm so it hooks around her waist, bringing her closer to him. He gently massages her shoulders in order to alleviate the tension. Lily quietly moans and lets her head fall back.

"It will be okay, it's going to be hard, but I think we both agree that it has to happen eventually." Rufus slides his hands from her shoulders to the apex of her hips, turning her around so she faces him. Lily rests her hands on his shoulders, and then starts gliding them up and down his arms.

"I'm going to cry, you know."

"I might too, you might have to hold me," Rufus says, half joking. Lily shakes her head and laughs at the mental picture of her literally carrying a sobbing Rufus away from a preschool.

"Poor Alex, she is going to have to calm both of us down instead of the other way around." Rufus shoves his hands in his pockets and rocks back and forth,

"Well…I mean she might not even be able to fit school into her social calendar so we could get lucky." Lily giggles and opens her mouth to respond, but Alex cuts her off.

"Mommy! Daddy! We go now!" Alex announces from the living room.

"That's our call I guess," Lily whispers to him and intertwines their fingers, leading them into the living room where Alex is waiting with her arms crossed.

"Hello Ms. Alex," Rufus says to their daughter, breaking contact with Lily to pick her up.

"Hi daddy, we watch movie?" Alex asks as she is being led upstairs.

"Of course sweetie, not the whole thing though," Rufus tells her, letting Lily walk ahead of them so she can open the door to the office. Rufus sets Alex down and the toddler walks over to the DVD rack, taking the time to pick a movie while Rufus and Lily sit on the couch together. Lily grabs the blanket hanging over the couch and drapes it over them. Alex snatches up a movie and hands it to Rufus who gets up and puts it in the DVD player. He reclaims his spot next to Lily while Alex lies out on the floor.

As the movie progresses, Rufus wants to see where things stand between him and Lily. He begins by dragging Lily closer to him on the couch; Lily glares at him, but lies her head down on his chest anyway. Rufus starts using his fingertips to glide up and down Lily's arm. Lily shivers at his touch; her hand reaches over to swat Rufus' away.

"What are you doing?" Lily mutters softly at him. Rufus' eyes dance from Lily's to Alex's; making sure their daughter is fully engrossed in the movie before answering his wife. Rufus shoots Lily an innocent look,

"What? I can't cuddle on the couch with my wife?" Lily narrows her eyes at him and scoffs,

"You think you are so cute." Rufus waits for Lily to turn her attention back to the movie before making his next move. He sweeps her hair aside and licks the nape of her neck. Lily moans loudly, her hands darting up to her mouth to hide it. Rufus swallows his laughter as Alex turns to face them.

"What you doin?" Alex asks her parents. Rufus and Lily smile at each other, they are busted.

"Nothing, daddy is misbehaving," Lily says for the both of them, raising her eyebrows at Rufus. Rufus blushes, lucky for him, Lily and Alex can't see the rosy hue of his cheeks.

"Does he need a time out?" Alex asks her mom, her eyes glancing over at her father. Lily bites the inside of her cheek and swivels her head to look at her husband.

"Hmmm…I don't know Alex; maybe we should give him another chance." Rufus compels a convincing smile on his face and his daughter folds.

"Okay, be good daddy," Alex points her finger sternly at her father. Rufus winks at her and Alex turns around, her focus back on the movie.

"I can't believe you are trying to get me in trouble with our daughter," Rufus whispers in Lily's ear.

"You started it," She whispers back and stamps a kiss on his lips. Rufus throws his arm around her upper chest, brushing a kiss the crown of her head in the process.

Lily shuts off the movie about halfway through after checking her phone to see it is nearing nine o'clock. She didn't realize that it is so late, but hopefully Alex will sleep in tomorrow.

"Come on Alex, its past your bedtime," Rufus picks his daughter up off the floor and walks over to Lily. Lily stands on her tip toes to brush a kiss to Alex's cheek. The three of them step out of Rufus' office together and then separate. Lily goes into the master bedroom while Rufus takes Alex into her bedroom. Rufus heads over to the changing table to put the diaper Alex usually wears at night on her.

"Daddy?" Alex lifts her legs up so Rufus can slide the diaper on under her.

"What's on your mind Alex?" Rufus leaves her on the changing table and he walks over to her closet, letting her choose a nightgown to wear. Not surprisingly, Alex picks a pink one with sparkles on it. Alex attempts to slide it over her head with Rufus' help. He picks her up and gently sets her down in bed. Alex crawls under the blankets and slides closer to her father.

"I wanna talk." This is not news to Rufus; Alex always wants to chat about something.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"School," Rufus bites back a sigh, he had a feeling this would happen.

"What about school?"

"Are der gonna be boys der?" Rufus frowns; this isn't the question he was expecting from his daughter.

"Well, yes, there are going to be some boys there." Alex cracks a tiny grin,

"Good, I like dem boys." Rufus' eyes broaden; he has to put a stop to this boy thing before it spirals out of control.

"That's great Alex, but boys have cooties." Now it's Alex's turn to be shocked, she has never heard about this before.

"What's cooties daddy?"

"They are germs you get from hugging or kissing boys Alex."

"What? Do you have cooties daddy?"

"No, only boys your age have cooties." Alex is floored by this information; maybe she doesn't like boys anymore.

"Boys are gwoss," Alex declares. Rufus smirks at his daughter, proud that he is able to sway her in the other direction. He bends down to kiss Alex's temple and closes the door behind him.

When he opens the door to the master bedroom, he is ecstatic to see his wife laid out on their bed, dressed in a black chemise with sheer cutouts above and below her breasts. He is even more thrilled to know that Lily isn't furious with him for the whole hickey incident a couple hours ago. Rufus starts to make his way toward her, but Lily sits up on the bed and holds her hand out.

"You aren't getting off that easy. You can't touch me until I say so." The corners of Rufus' mouth turn down, so much for Lily not being mad at him anymore.

"Why?" Rufus' question comes out as a groan, making Lily's eyes twinkle with excitement.

"Our three-year-old daughter asked me about the hickey that you oh-so-conveniently left on my neck, that's why." Rufus doesn't have a clever retort for that comment, he did do that. And, although Lily isn't aware of it yet, he told their daughter boys have cooties. Rufus wants to have sex first before Alex tattles on him to Lily which is bound to happen soon.

Lily smirks at him and starts unbuttoning his mauve dress shirt, stopping to drop a kiss on his chest after each button. She looks up at him, a lopsided smile forming on her face. He wants to smother her arrogant smirk with his lips, but this game will be over if he does that. Lily eases his shirt off of him, tipping her head forward to place careless kisses on his shoulders. Suddenly, Lily drops to her knees and uses her dexterous fingers to jerk his belt off. Next, his dress pants pool at his feet, and Lily pauses to rub her hand over the fabric of his boxers.

Rufus starts twitching, wanting nothing more than to pick Lily up and rip that negligee off of her. Lily senses his fidgeting and yanks his boxers down. Rufus steps out of them, waiting for Lily's permission. Lily gets to her feet, her eyes roaming over Rufus' body.

"Well?" Lily asks him, biting her lower lip to tease him. Rufus sweeps her off her feet and roughly tosses into the pillows. He hovers over her, meshing her lips with his. Lily's fingers get lost in his brown locks as Rufus tugs the straps off, causing the teddy to cascade down her body. Lily rises on her elbow and then shifts so that she is the one straddling Rufus' hips. Rufus reaches up to brush his fingers over her nipple, making Lily arch her back to lean into his touch.

"Hmmm…I love you," Rufus says, his voice coming out as a husky growl. Lily's hands tumble down his body, stopping when they reach his erection.

"Love you too." Rufus's hands gently explore her breasts, taking great pride in himself when he sees Lily's face flush with arousal. When the fingers of his right hand leisurely find their way to her feminine folds Rufus isn't surprised to find that Lily is ready for him. One finger easily slides into her slick passage and his thumb rubs against her clit. When she whimpers, Rufus gives her a wicked grin. Lily grounds herself against his hand and moans his name.

Rufus parts her and groans as Lily guides his erection to her entrance. As he slides into her, Rufus closes his eyes and hisses out a long, shaky breath. Lily braces her hands on Rufus' broad shoulders and watches his face as she begins a slow, but steady roll. When Lily eases back down with an erotic twist of her hips, Rufus' eyes flutter open and he cups his hands around her hips.

With each glide and twirl, Rufus' breathing becomes more erratic. His hazel eyes glimmer with the heat of this stimulation as he watches her move over him. Rufus plants his left foot on the mattress and uses the leverage to meet her thrust for thrust.

He recognizes she is close when her previously elegant movements become clumsier. Rufus drives upwards as Lily grind herself against him. One last thrust sends Lily over the edge. With a hoarse shout Rufus' own orgasm draws his muscles taut as he fills her. A few seconds later, he chases after his wife into oblivion.

"Shit…" Rufus breathes out as Lily rolls off of him. Lily nods in agreement, reaching for her pillow that fell off the bed during their tryst. Rufus pulls the blankets toward them, intent on cuddling with his wife. However, Lily hears a noise coming from their daughter's bedroom and lurches out of bed. She slips her robe on and cinches the belt around her torso.

"I thought I heard Alex, I will be right back," Lily explains, leaving her husband with a lasting kiss to his lips. Lily crosses the hall to gently open her daughter's door. Alex is awake, but isn't crying, she is just staring off into space, clutching her monkey close to her.

"Hi mommy," Alex whispers and pats the open space in bed next to her. Lily makes sure her robe is tight enough before sitting next to her daughter.

"Is something wrong Alex?" Lily brushes a few strands of her daughter's blonde hair out of her cherub face.

"I don't wanna go to school," Alex says and gets out from under the covers to sit on Lily's lap. Lily is confused, Alex seemed excited about school at dinner, but something changed between then and now.

"Why not my darling?"

"I don't wanna get sick."

"Sick? Why would you get sick?" Alex readjusts herself in her mom's lap to look up at Lily.

"Daddy say boys have cooties." Lily stops rubbing Alex's back for a second; Rufus didn't mention anything to her about that.

"Alex, you won't get sick, boys at school won't make you sick." Alex nods in agreement, but doesn't look so convinced. Lily sighs; she wishes Rufus wouldn't have put this idea in their daughter's head. "I will talk to daddy, okay?"

"Okay mommy," Alex stamps a kiss on Lily's cheek. Lily helps Alex get settled back into the covers and gives her another goodnight kiss. She closes the door behind her and returns to the master bedroom. Rufus has his eyes closed, but isn't snoring so he isn't actually asleep. She slides next to him and jabs him in the ribs. Rufus' eyes shoot open as he jumps.

"You told our daughter that boys have cooties and now she doesn't want to go to school," Lily tells him while he wraps an arm around her. Guilt tarnishes Rufus' face, he didn't mean to scare his daughter.

"Oh…I will talk to her tomorrow Lil, I promise." Lily takes off her robe and switches it with her discarded lingerie. Rufus follows suit by putting his boxers back on.

"Rufus?" Lily asks quietly as she rests her head on her upper chest.

"Lily?" Rufus asks back in the same fashion, not really knowing where this conversation is headed.

"Do you think we are too…_domesticated_?" Rufus would laugh at the absurdity of that question if his wife isn't so serious. He takes a second to ponder what she is asking him, wondering if there is a right or wrong answer to that question.

"Is that a bad thing if we are?" Rufus can feel Lily shrug and sling an arm around his abdomen.

"Well…no, not really, I just never thought I would get a chance to start over." Rufus nods in understanding, he can agree with that. He didn't think that he would ever be in a relationship with Lily again, let alone be married to her and be raising their second child together.

"Look Lil, can I be honest with you?" Lily tilts her head to look up at him; he shouldn't have to ask her that.

"I would expect you to, Rufus." Rufus ignores her flippant answer to his question.

"I think that society and your mother have taught you to be scared of the life we have. Marrying me didn't exactly fit into the Upper East Side's plan. I am not as illustrious as Bart Bass or I'm not a world class surgeon like William."

"I don't expect you to be Rufus; I love you because you aren't."

"That's exactly my point Lil; you love me despite the fact that I don't understand this world I am now a part of. However, that doesn't stop you from occasionally having your insecurities about us." Lily's eyes slide away from his, choosing to focus on the wall instead. Rufus realizes that he might have hurt her feelings, so he puts his hand on her cheek, forcing her to look at him.

"I'm sorry Rufus," Lily mumbles. Rufus kisses the corner of her mouth, making her eyes crinkle at the corners slightly.

"It's okay to have your doubts about us Lil; I would be lying if I tell you I don't. I just think it's important to be aware of the fact that I love you, we are trying and we are…us." A sideways smile blossoms on her face,

"I love you too and you are right, we are us. We are flawed and fragmented," Lily repeats what she told him in her wedding vows.

"Good job on those vows by the way, I thought they were very appropriate." Lily laughs into his chest,

"Thanks, I came up with them off the top of my head. Serena stopped me from repeating my vows from my marriage to Klaus." Rufus looks down at her; she never mentioned this to him before.

"Clearly you have been married too many times if you have to recycle your vows." Lily glowers at him; she hates it when he mocks her about her past marriages, especially to William.

"Shut up Rufus, I did marry you, give me some credit. I have to put up with your Lincoln Hawk memorabilia and excessive amount of flannel." Rufus kisses the top of her head; she does know him pretty well.

"I have to deal with CeCe so I always win. Night Lil," Lily leans up to kiss him on the lips.

"Night Rufus…" Lily breaks off because she remembers of what she wanted to say before, "Oh! And if our daughter ever sees a hickey on my neck again, you will be sleeping on the couch." Lily pats Rufus' stomach and snuggles closer to him.

The next morning, Lily, Rufus and Alex have a late breakfast. Alex is babbling on incoherently about the upcoming party this evening and school the next day. Rufus and Lily try to catch pieces of her conversation, in order to add their own thoughts when they are given the chance. While Rufus is clearing the table, Alex is finishing the last of her milk.

"Mommy, we go shoppin?" Alex asks Lily who is bringing her and Alex's dish to the sink. Lily nibbles on the inside of her cheek; she forgot that she has some paperwork to do for Bass before the party.

"No darling, I have to do some work for Chuck so we can have the party tonight." Alex's face falls, her eyes become glassy with tears. Lily shoots a desperate look at Rufus, Alex is about to have a tantrum unless they can fix this.

"I can take you shopping Alex, but we can't stay for long okay?" Rufus improvises, winking at Lily. Alex sniffs and wipes her nose,

"Mommy's better, but I wuv you daddy." Rufus and Lily snicker at Alex's brutal honesty, something that she picked up from her mother.

"I know sweetie, do you want to go?" Rufus asks Alex who eagerly nods. Rufus walks over to free her from the high chair so she can go get dressed. Lily closes the gap between her and Rufus, clasping his hand.

"Thank you for saving me, Alex would have been furious." Rufus' squeezes her hand,

"No problem, I don't mind taking her shopping, although apparently I am not good at it."

"I have to agree with her honey, you kind of just stand there." Rufus feigns a gasp and jerks his hand away from Lily.

"Puh, see if I go shopping with you the next time you ask." Lily walks past him, squeezing his shoulder as their daughter toddles back down the stairs.

"I ready daddy," Alex has her little purse and is holding her favorite pea coat. Rufus helps her put her jacket on and grabs his wallet. Lily strolls over and gives her husband and daughter a kiss goodbye. When Lily hears the elevator doors close, she sits down in her desk and starts sifting through her paperwork.

Rufus and Alex arrive at one of Alex's favorite stores, Giggle on the Upper East Side. Alex breaks out of Rufus' arms to scurry over to the racks of clothing. Rufus lets his daughter shop, realizing that his wife is right; he usually steps out of the way to allow Lily and Alex to browse.

"So Alex, I think we need to talk about what I told you yesterday," Rufus says while Alex is shopping.

"Okay, do you like dis?" Alex points to a floral Chloe dress.

"Yes I do. Anyway, boys don't really have cooties. I didn't mean to scare you last night." Alex looks at her father, betrayal working into the crevices of her face.

"Oh, dat's good, so boys are okay?" Alex poses to her father, her eyebrows rising slightly.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean you should go around hugging and kissing boys. You should be nice to them though," Rufus instructs his daughter who is struggling to reach the dress she spotted earlier. Rufus takes it off the hanger and hands it to Alex.

"Okay daddy, I be good." Alex confirms with her father and gets distracted by a pair of sparkly flats.

Rufus is amazed by how Alex seems to be leaps and bounds ahead of children her age. She grasps difficult concepts rather quickly at the tender age of three. He is glad that Lily isn't here because she would most likely be crying by now.

Lily is scanning over some financial reports for Bass when her head starts hurting. She drops her pen and dims the overhead light. Unfortunately, she doesn't have the luxury of time to waste. Lily presses on with her paperwork, deciding to only abandon it if the pain worsens.

Rufus ends up buying Alex the floral dress and shoes that she wants. They negotiated with the shoes, even though Rufus knows that Lily will buy Alex a new pair the next time they are out shopping. Rufus attempts to set limits for Alex as much as he can and encourages Lily to do the same.

"Alex, are you hungry?" Rufus asks Alex as he hands her the shopping bag.

"Yeah, I want food."

"Okay, do you want food at home or in a restaurant?"

"In restwant," Alex butchers the word, but gets her point across. Rufus takes Alex to a café near the toy store and sends a text to Lily.

**Hey Lil, Alex and I are eating, do you want anything?**

** -R.**

Lily lifts her head up from the desk when she hears her phone vibrate.

**No, I'm not hungry, thanks though.**

** -L.**

Rufus checks his phone and furrows his eyebrows. They had breakfast over three hours ago; it's a little strange for Lily not to want to eat. He pockets his cell and continues munching on his hamburger.

Lily gets up from her desk and walks into the nearest bathroom, intent on taking some pills. She is beyond annoyed when she discovers that they are out of Tylenol. Lily sighs heavily and texts Rufus to ask him to buy some medicine on the way home.

Rufus and Alex make a quick stop at a pharmacy before heading back to the penthouse. When they get there, Lily is rubbing her temples, her reading glasses and paperwork tossed aside. Alex bounds ahead of Rufus, anxious to show Lily her purchase.

"Mommy, look!" Alex slides the dress out of the bag, holding it up so Lily can see. Lily propels a smile onto her face, not wanting Alex to see how much pain she is in. Rufus takes the medicine out of the bag, giving them to her. Lily takes them appreciatively and dry swallows them.

"Can you take your stuff upstairs and go potty before your nap?" Rufus asks his daughter. Lily picks Alex up to give her a kiss goodnight and then lets her go upstairs. Rufus coils an arm around her waist, adoringly squeezing her shoulder. Lily turns to conceal her head in Rufus' chest, feeling comforted when Rufus rub soothing circles on her back. "Should we cancel the party?" Lily shakes her head and then winces from the pain.

"No, I think I am going to lie down. I can't focus on what I need to get done anymore." Lily pulls away, giving her husband a reassuring smile.

"Okay, I am going to put Alex to bed," Rufus leads the way upstairs and then disappears in Alex's room while Lily slides into her bed. When Rufus is done, he sneaks into his room and sits next to Lily on the bed. Her eyes flutter open and she reaches out to put her hand on Rufus' thigh.

"Thank you," Lily whispers, her eyelids drooping already. Rufus kisses her temple,

"No problem, I have to run to the loft, but I will be back in a few hours." He stands up, but Lily reaches out to stop him,

"Lay with me." Rufus sighs; he forgets that Lily doesn't like to be alone when she isn't feeling well. He flips off his shoes and gets on his side of the bed, pressing himself flush against his wife. They fall asleep together rather quickly although Rufus doesn't mean to.

Rufus wakes up an hour later and checks to see if Lily is still sleeping. Getting verification, he quietly puts his shoes back on and slips out of the penthouse. He takes a taxi to the loft, surprised to see Dan there with Eric.

"Hey kids, what are you up to?" Rufus asks his son and stepson. They both shrug, typical guy response.

"We are just hanging out before we have to pick up our suits for the party tonight. What are you doing here?" Dan asks his father.

"I left my tux here and I wanted to get it so I could wear it tonight. However, I am not sure if the party is still on."

"Why?" Eric inquires.

"Lily isn't feeling that great, she has a migraine. She is resting now, so we will have to see how she feels when she wakes up."

"My mom will want to have the party regardless Rufus," Eric tells his step-father matter-of-factually.

"I don't doubt it, but her health comes first." Eric manages a miniscule smirk, he really likes Rufus, and his mother's husband seems to genuinely care about Lily's well-being.

"Good luck dad, keep us informed." Rufus leaves Eric and Dan in the living room while he goes into his own room, searching for the tux he left here a few weeks ago. Lily had it sent out for dry cleaning and Rufus, for some reason, brought it back here instead of the penthouse. Hopefully, Rufus was smart enough to hang it up in the closet, but he isn't so sure. Rufus gazes around his closet, seeing it at the very back with a note attached.

_Hi my darling, I see you have found your tux. Put it on and come back home. I love you, -L._

Rufus leaves the tux in the plastic wrapping and goes back into the living room. Dan and Eric are dragging out Scrabble since they have a few hours to kill before the party.

"Dad, do you want to play with us?" Dan asks.

"No, I have to get back home and meet the caterers in case Lily is still sleeping. I will either call you guys if the party is canceled or see you guys at the penthouse." Rufus waves goodbye and takes a taxi back to the penthouse.

The penthouse is quiet when Rufus arrives back. The help has already moved most of the furniture out so there is an open space in the living room. The couch and most of the pictures remain on the mantle. Rufus heads upstairs to leave the tux in the walk-in closet. Lily is still fast asleep, clutching Rufus' pillow tightly, positioning herself in the middle of the bed. Rufus wants to lay with her, but he will probably end up waking her up when he attempts to climb into bed next to her. Plus, she looks to peaceful when she is sleeping, Rufus doesn't want to disrupt that.

He does a quick check on Alex, who is passed out just like her mother. Rufus decides to enjoy the little down time he has in his life and flip through some files for Panic.

The caterers arrive a half an hour later, leaving Rufus to direct them by himself. Lily is just starting to get up, easing her way out of the covers. Her head still hurts, but not as bad as before. She pads downstairs to see her husband ordering around the caterers, appreciative that Rufus took charge and let her sleep.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Rufus gives her a lopsided smile, spotting Lily on the landing of the steps.

"Better, a lot better," Lily mumbles and smoothes down her tousled hair and walks over to Rufus, interlocking her arm with his. Rufus glances at his wife, stealing a kiss from her.

"I am going to check on our progeny," Rufus tells her and walks upstairs. He knocks on Alex's door, opening it a crack to peer in, just in case Alex is still sleeping. He is astounded to see Alex standing in front of her closet, dressed in nothing but her underwear and reaching for a dress. She turns around, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Daddy, I not reach," Alex declares with a pout. Rufus strides over to her, taking the crimson dress off of the hanger. They slip it over Alex's head and she flattens her hair.

"I am sure mommy will help you with your hair when she is done with the food." Rufus promises Alex as she scans her closet, grabbing a pair of shiny black sandals.

"Okay, I escited to see Chuck," Alex informs her father, wrapping her arms around his legs. Rufus picks her up and tosses her over his head, emitting a high-pitched giggle from his daughter.

"I know sweetie and I think mommy invited some people from your new school to the party tonight so you can make new friends." Rufus frowns when he notices Alex cocoon herself into him, as if she is frightened of something.

"I 'fraid daddy," Alex admits quietly. Rufus is a little surprised, he normally sees Alex as an extroverted, talkative toddler who is very open to new experiences.

"It will be fine Alex, me, your mommy and older siblings will be there. You don't need to be scared," Rufus leaves Alex to her own devices so he can see the progress made downstairs. Lily is chatting with a worker from the catering company about the table arrangements.

The elevator doors open to reveal Chuck, Serena and Eric. They exchange hellos with Rufus and Lily. Alex hears the muffled sounds coming from downstairs and rushes to join them.

"Hi Chuck! Sewena, Ewic," Alex exclaims Chuck's name and mutters Serena and Eric's name with less enthusiasm. She tugs on Chuck's pant leg to get him to pick her up. Chuck scoops her up and walks her further into the living room.

"Serena, would you mind helping Alex with her hair? I have to get dressed," Lily explains apologetically.

"Sure, if she will let me," Serena cracks a grin and steals her sister from Chuck. Lily and Rufus go upstairs to their room to get dressed for their event.

They fluidly move around each other, helping one another with buttons, zippers and bowties. Lily is using the full length mirror to confirm that her makeup isn't smeared and her gun metal gray, one-shoulder gown isn't wrinkled. Rufus finishes adjusting his bowtie and appears behind Lily, crossing his arms to encompass her waist.

"Apparently our daughter is shy," Rufus informs Lily who has the same reaction as him.

"Really? I didn't know that, but it does make sense. Alex really hasn't been around people her own age, obviously that will get better once she goes to school." Lily suppresses a whimper when she feels her head start to pound again. Instead, she leans back into Rufus' chest and closes her eyes. Rufus notices and squeezes her waist, causing Lily's eyes to flicker open.

"Are you sure you okay? No one will blame you if you stay up here," Rufus tells her, compressing a kiss to her temple.

"I'm fine," Lily offers a convincing smile to Rufus, who runs his hands over her bare arms.

"Lil, don't push yourself," Rufus mutters against her cheek. Lily turns to plant a kiss on his lips, silently agreeing to his statement. Rufus sightlessly reaches down to knit their fingers together. He guides her downstairs, stopping at the landing in order to do an once-over of the penthouse. Most, if not all, of their guests have arrived and are waiting for the hosts to make their appearance. Lily clears her throat loudly, causing everyone to stop their conversations and turn to them. Alex wiggles out of Chuck's arms to join her parent's on the stairs.

Rufus squeezes Lily's hand as she uses her free arm to pick up Alex.

"Um…on behalf of my family and Bass Industries, I would like to thank you all for coming to the gala benefiting the children's wing at Lennox Hill." Lily announces to the penthouse, offering a fake smile to everyone. The truth of the matter is, her head is pounding and all she wants to do is sleep, but she can't.

Someone takes a picture of Alex's outfit and sends it into Gossip Girl. In little time at all, a myriad of tones echoing through the apartment.

**Watch out Upper East Siders, there** **is a new fashion icon on the rise. It looks like little Humphrey is becoming the next Suri Cruise. I wonder who is giving her fashion advice, it certainly isn't Lonely Boy. You know you love me, xoxo.**

Dan rolls his eyes at the mention of his name in the Gossip Girl blast. Lily, Rufus and Alex start mingling with their guests, especially the parents and children they invited from Alex's new preschool. Alex takes a liking to a little boy named Tyler, a three-year-old with tan skin, chocolate hair, electric blue eyes and dimples. Alex immediately sheds her timid persona and jumps down from Lily's arms.

"Hi! I Alex, dis my mommy and daddy, Lilwy and Wufus," Alex says to Tyler. Tyler's mom, who bears a striking resemblance to Lily, sets her son on the ground to let him chat.

"Hi Alex, I Tyler, dis my mommy, do you wanna play wif me?" Tyler asks Alex. Alex's eyes light up and she twists around to ask her parent's permission.

"Sure my darling, just don't drag too many toys out okay?" Lily answers for the both of them because Rufus doesn't seem comfortable with his little girl getting along so well with a boy. Lily moves closer to Rufus, splashing her hand across his chest. Alex and Tyler run off, heading upstairs to Alex's room so she can show her new friend her prized monkey named Monkey.

"Lily, we shouldn't leave them alone," Rufus mumbles when Tyler's mom goes to refill her plate. Lily rolls her eyes,

"Rufus, they are three years old, it's innocent, just let them have fun."

"Fine, but if I hear Alex mutter the word boyfriend in reference to Tyler, I am not promising you I will be nice."

"Don't be ridiculous Rufus. I am going to speak to Chuck about something, excuse me," Lily leaves Rufus to talk with Dan while she attempts to locate her son. Her head is aching and the nausea is starting to settle in. She detours into the bathroom to press a cold rag to her head for a minute, hoping that it will dull the pain for an hour or two.

Rufus spots Chuck speaking to Blair, but no Lily. He is guessing that her headache is bothering her, but she doesn't want anyone to know. Rufus swallows a swig of his scotch and mentally debates how to bring this up to Lily. His wife is too damn stubborn for her own good and refuses to slow down even when she needs to. He understands she doesn't like to appear weak in front of anybody, but he would expect that he is the exception. For now, the only thing he can do is to keep an eye on her and step in if necessary.

Lily steps out of the bathroom, the cold rag didn't even take the edge off and she can't take anymore medication because there is too much in her system already. All that is left to do now is deal and hope that this party dies down rather quickly.

The party moves on, with most of the guests animatedly blabbing about the upcoming social events on the Upper East Side. Most of the children invited have congregated in Alex's room, causing Rufus to feel safer about his daughter no longer being in her room alone with a boy. He refuses to acknowledge the fact that his daughter is only three because then he would have to admit he is being irrational about the whole thing.

Rufus spots Lily sitting on the couch chatting with Eleanor and Cyrus and walks over to her, placing his arm around her shoulders.

"Oh Rufus, you look exquisite, Lily you dress him well," Eleanor comments. Lily gives Rufus a cheeky grin, finding Eleanor's crush on Rufus adorable. Rufus isn't as amused, but still maintains a respectful demeanor.

"Thank you. Lil, I am going to check on the kids." Rufus tells his wife, sweeping his hand over the curve of her neck.

"Okay, don't scare Tyler, Rufus," Lily warns. Rufus rolls his eyes at her and heads upstairs, stopping to hover in the doorway of Alex's room before walking in. Alex and Tyler are off by themselves giggling about something while the other kids are jumping on Alex's bed. Rufus clears his throat, causing Alex to look up and smile at him.

"Hi daddy! Tyler likes nanimals too!" Alex excitedly tells him.

"Oh? That's very interesting," Rufus says, trying not to glare at the lovable little boy.

Downstairs, Lily is about ready to throw up on Eleanor who won't shut up about her new fall collection being sold to Barney's. She manages to add in her flattering comments here and there, but Eleanor is making her headache even worse.

"Excuse me Eleanor, I am going to get a drink," Lily tells her friend and heaves herself off the couch. However, Lily gets up too fast, the room is spinning and then everything fades to black.

Everyone gasps at the sight of Lily Humphrey falling to the floor, too quick for anyone to catch her. Serena and Dan glance at each other while Chuck picks Lily up and pushes everyone off the couch so he can set his mother down.

"Let's go get Rufus," Serena tells her step-brother. Dan agrees and they both quickly bolt up the stairs, spotting Rufus in Alex's room, playing with her and Tyler.

"Dad, come here, _now," _Dan stresses and Rufus immediately gets on his feet, not liking the heightened worry lines on his son and step-daughter's faces.

"What's going on?" Rufus asks in a hushed tone.

"Lily collapsed downstairs," Dan mumbles, he doesn't want Alex to hear. Rufus' jaw drops, but he doesn't say anything for a second.

"Okay, we need to do damage control. I want one of you to stay up here with Alex and you are not to mention anything to her about Lily. Someone needs to do whatever they can to keep this off of Gossip Girl, Lily is probably already mortified enough." Rufus instructs their kids before rushing downstairs.

"I'll stay with Alex, you need to talk to Blair and Chuck," Serena tells Dan.

"Serena, neither Blair nor Chuck will want to listen to me."

"They will if it concerns my mom. Please Dan, Blair and I are fighting right now." Dan acquiesces and trails behind his father downstairs.

Rufus sees Lily lying on the couch with her eyes closed, all of their guests looking at her. Chuck is sitting on the edge of the couch, next to Lily, but gets up and switches places with Rufus.

Dan spots Blair near one of the catering tables, her eyes trained on Lily like everybody else.

"Blair, I need to talk to you," Dan says.

"I am a little busy right now Humphrey," Blair snaps at Dan, gesturing her head towards Lily.

"That's exactly what I want to talk to you about. Look, I need you to do whatever it is you do and keep this off Gossip Girl. Have your minions collect phones and make sure that this stays as contained as possible." Blair's eyes flicker over to Chuck who seems deeply concerned about Lily who still hasn't opened her eyes.

"Okay, but let's make one thing clear, I am not doing this for you or Serena. I am doing this for Chuck," Blair stomps off to order her minions around.

Rufus is grazing his thumb up and down his wife's cheek, wondering how this could have happened and more importantly, when Lily will wake up.

"Hmmm…?" Lily mumbles, her eyes slowly flipping open. She is beyond confused, what is she doing lying on the couch and why is everyone staring at her? "Rufus…what…?" Rufus turns to ask whoever is closest to grab Lily a glass of water.

"Ssh…sweetheart, you fainted."

"I did? How?" Rufus shakes his head,

"I don't know I wasn't down here, I think we should go to the hospital." Lily's eyes widen and she protests.

"No, I will be fine; I probably just got up too quickly." Rufus receives a glass of water from Eric, who is staring at his mother with apprehension.

"Here, try to sit up…easy…easy…" Rufus tells her as grabs her hands. Of course, Lily is embarrassed and trying to downplay the seriousness of the situation. Rufus hands her the glass of water and coils an arm around her waist, holding her up in case she falls backwards.

Serena is attempting to remain calm for Alex's sake, but she would feel better if she knew Lily was okay. Alex doesn't seem to notice, she is too busy showing Tyler her extensive stuffed animal collection.

"Alex, stay here, I will be right back okay?" Serena tells her half sister. Alex offhandedly nods; she is much too preoccupied right now. Serena sneaks downstairs where everyone has mostly gone back to their original conversations. Her mother and Rufus are sitting on the couch; Rufus is massaging her back while Lily is taking sips of water. Lily rests her head on Rufus' shoulder as Serena walks towards them.

"Hi mom, are you feeling better?" Serena asks, seeing Jenny bring a plate of food over to them.

"Yes, darling I am fine, just a little humiliated." Lily blushes and accepts the food from Jenny. Jenny sits next to her father on the couch, glancing up at Serena.

"Don't worry mom, I can do something much more scandalous if you want." Jenny nods in agreement,

"Yeah, Serena and I could start making out to deter attention away." Lily laughs,

"I assure you, I don't need to see that. I think this party is officially over though." Rufus nods in agreement, he and Lily need to have a serious talk, there is no way he is letting her brush this under the rug.

"Yeah, can you guys get these people out of here? I am going to take Lil upstairs," Rufus asks their daughters.

"Sure, come on Jenny, we need to find Dan and Eric." Jenny gets off the couch and follows Serena to where Blair, Dan and Eric are encircled. They have managed to confiscate everyone's phones and are going through them.

"Anything?" Jenny asks the three of them.

"No, nobody managed to take a worthwhile picture; they all came out as blobs. I managed to scare everyone into not sending anything into Gossip Girl," Blair says with a smirk.

"How?" Serena asks, lifting their no-talking policy. There fight is secondary to her mother's health and social standing.

"Let's just say I have my ways. Is your mom okay S?"

"I think the only thing wounded is her pride. Rufus is more freaked out than her right now, which is good." Blair wordlessly nods, scooping up a bunch of cell phones to give back to their owners.

"Alright everybody the party is over! Please collect your phones at the door and thanks for coming!" Serena announces to the crowd. She sees some moms' head upstairs to collect their child from Alex's room, but everyone else crowds near the elevator.

About ten minutes later, only Rufus, Lily and their children remain.

"I can put Alex to bed, if you guys want," Serena offers, knowing that it will ease Rufus' anxiety.

"Thank you Serena, I would really appreciate that," Lily says softly. Rufus nods in agreement, he doesn't really want to leave Lily alone right now. Serena kisses Lily's cheek and goes upstairs to attempt to get her half sister to sleep.

"We are going to take off, I hope you feel better Lily," Dan says for Eric and Jenny who exchange their goodbyes with Rufus and Lily.

"Come on Lil, let's get you to bed," Rufus stands up first and offers his hand for Lily to take. Lily grasps it and Rufus surprises her by sweeping her off her feet. Lily instinctively drapes her arms around his neck.

"Mmmm…thank you…" Lily whispers and places a kiss to the side of Rufus' neck. Rufus kisses her forehead as they walk upstairs to their room. He puts her on her feet and unzips her dress.

"I am going to check on Serena and Alex, I will be back," Rufus murmurs to her as she turns to face him.

"Okay, relax, I am fine," Lily puts a hand on his cheek and then goes into the bathroom to change. Rufus frowns slightly and crosses the hallway just as Serena is closing Alex's door.

"Alex is okay, she was just wondering why I was putting her to bed instead of you or my mom. Is my mom okay?" Serena asks.

"I think so. Thank you Serena, you have been really helpful," Rufus hugs Serena.

"No problem Rufus, but I should go. I want to talk to Blair; believe it or not, my mom fainting actually helped our friendship." Serena smiles at Rufus and leaves the penthouse. Rufus slips back into the master bedroom to redress into his pajamas. He slides into his side of the bed and waits for Lily to come out of the bathroom.

She sheepishly climbs into bed next to him, mentally preparing herself for a lecture from Rufus.

"Rufus I am sorry, I should have listened to you earlier." Lily quietly acknowledges. Rufus brings an arm around her and Lily lifts herself up, tucking her head into the curve of his neck.

"As much as I like when you admit that I am right, I am not mad at you, sweetie. I just wish that you wouldn't put a stupid party over your health." Rufus can feel her warm breath sigh against his neck,

"I know I will see if I can set up an appointment with my doctor for tomorrow." Rufus tilts his head down to kiss the crown of her head. "Also, I heard from your son that you managed to keep me off of Gossip Girl, so thank you."

"Don't thank me, thank Dan. I guess he had to go head to head with Blair Waldorf which couldn't have been easy."

"I will have to buy him a present," Lily says sarcastically and brings her lips to his. Rufus puts his hands on her lower back, easing her onto him. However, Lily breaks apart their lips,

"Hm…as much as I would love to, I don't want to fall asleep on you." Rufus glares at her for referring the story he told her about Alison on her birthday.

"Cute, Lil, that's real cute." Lily wickedly smiles at him and rests both hands on the side of his face, bringing him in for a loving kiss.

"I know, night Rufus,"

"Night Lil," Rufus drapes an arm around her as Lily adjusts her head on the pillows.

Three-year-old Alex Humphrey is beyond excited to start her first day of school. She rushes into her parents' bedroom and catapults herself onto their bed.

"Mommy! Daddy! Up!" Alex hits Rufus and Lily's legs over the blankets. Rufus groans, burying himself deeper into Lily's blonde ringlets.

"I am up, Alex," Lily mumbles, but she doesn't open her eyes. Alex isn't buying it; she wedges herself in between her parents' forcing them to actually awaken.

"Five more minutes," Rufus begs, not even bothering to check what time it is. He is guessing that it is around six in the morning, if that. Lily turns in bed and opens her eyes, delighted to see her daughter's shimmering hazel eyes stare back at her.

"Hi my darling, can you go find your dress for me? I will be in your room in a few minutes," Lily says to Alex, giving Rufus a few minutes to wake up.

"Sure!" Alex scurries out of the bed, giving Lily and Rufus the chance to relax for a minute.

"You better wake up, Alex is going to want your waffles before we have to leave," Lily tells Rufus and kisses his lips.

"I know, why can't school start at like nine?" Rufus grumbles, rolling over to see that it is indeed, a little after seven. Lily laughs and pulls away the covers.

"It does honey, Alex is just a little too wound up to care. I have to go help our offspring get ready which I am guessing will take about an hour." Lily bends down to kiss Rufus' cheek; he is already starting to fall back asleep.

Lily assists Alex in getting her floral dress on and brushing her hair back into a bow. Alex wants to bring her purse, but Lily convinces her that she won't need it.

"Mommy, what shoes?" Alex asks, surveying her massive shoe collection. Lily points to a pair of white mini Toms that will go perfectly with her dress. Lily grabs a bright pink cardigan to bring in case Alex gets cold and escorts her downstairs. Rufus is fully dressed and nursing a cup of coffee when his wife and daughter make their way to the kitchen.

Lily tries not to comment when she sees Rufus' eyes soften at the sight of Alex.

"Daddy, waffles pwease," Alex requests and skips over to her father, intent on helping make their breakfast. Lily leaves them downstairs so she can get dressed herself. She is having a hard time with this and they haven't even dropped Alex off yet.

Lily comes downstairs wearing a black high-waist skirt and a white lace dress shirt tucked in. She joins Rufus and Alex for breakfast and then they take a car to the preschool.

"Did you make any new friends yesterday Alex?" Rufus asks while Lily is on the phone with the doctor's office.

"Mhm! Tyler favorite nanimal is lion, but I like dem monkeys. We still fwiends tho," Alex informs her father.

"Okay…thank you for fitting me in…okay…yup…see you…alright…bye," Lily hits the end button on her iPhone and turns toward Rufus.

"What did they say?" Rufus asks while Alex is looking out the window.

"They had an opening at eleven thirty, so you will have to pick up Alex from school."

"Alright, that's not a problem; I have to do some work at the gallery right after we drop off Alex."

"That's fine; I need to finish the paperwork I didn't get done yesterday. Do you mind taking a cab to Brooklyn?" Rufus shakes his head as they swap to-do lists for the day.

The car pulls to a stop in front of the preschool. The driver opens the door for Lily and Rufus and then Rufus unbuckles Alex. Lily holds onto Rufus' hand tightly, her eyes flicker over to Alex, her daughter doesn't seem nervous, but they haven't left her yet.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey, I am glad to see you are feeling better," Alex's teacher, identified as Ms. Lauren says to Lily. Lily's cheeks redden; she forgot that they invited the petite brunette to the party last night.

"Thank you, I am fine, I just got off the couch too fast." Alex locates Tyler and lurches out of Rufus' arms.

"Bye mommy and daddy! I see you later," Lily bends down to brush a kiss to Alex's cheek. Alex hugs Rufus' legs and scampers off to be by her new friend.

"Well…uh…we should go," Rufus says for the both of them, tugging on Lily's hand.

"Right, um…goodbye Alex," Lily says and blows a kiss to their daughter, who eagerly waves back. Rufus realizes that Lily isn't going to leave unless he makes her, so he swathes an arm around her waist, gently pulling her towards the door.

Lily manages to get all the way outside of the building before bursting into tears. Rufus gathers her into his arms, shielding her from the people passing by.

"Why is this so hard?" Lily squeaks out and sniffs loudly. Rufus doesn't have an answer to that, he is feeling the same way.

"I don't know Lil, she is growing up."

"Make it stop," Lily mumbles into his jacket and backs away to wipe her eyes.

"I wish we could," Rufus honestly tells her. "I'm sorry, but I have to go, there is nobody there to…" Lily cuts him off,

"I know, I'll be okay, I just look terrible. I have to go too; I'll see you after my appointment." Lily gives Rufus a kiss goodbye and opens the car door.

Four hours later, Lily stumbles into the penthouse, a closed-lipped smile coming to her face when she sees Rufus and Alex eating lunch at the table together.

"Hi mommy! I home now!" Alex announces and takes a bite of her sandwich. Lily sets her purse on the counter and goes over to sit in Rufus' lap.

"I am happy to see you darling, how was school?" Lily asks and steals one of Rufus' chips.

"Good, Tyler and me learn a lot." Lily suppresses a grin when Rufus tenses up at the mention of Tyler.

"That's great; do you like school so far?"

"Yeah, I wanna go back." Lily is happy that her daughter seems comfortable about school, but was kind of hoping that she would hate it so they could wait another year.

Rufus can't seem to get a reading off of Lily. She doesn't seem overly happy or sad about how the doctor's appointment went; he will just have to ask her when Alex is sleeping.

"Are you all done with your food Alex?" Rufus asks glancing around Lily to see what is left of Alex's lunch.

"Yeah, I tired," Alex pushes away from the table and yawns. Lily gets off of Rufus' lap so he can unbuckle Alex from the high chair.

"I will take her upstairs and then you and I need to talk," Lily whispers in Rufus' ear. Rufus glances over at his wife; maybe he should be worried about her?

Alex bounces ahead of Lily, already running upstairs to pick out a story to be read to her before her nap. Lily flips through the book until Alex falls asleep against her. She untangles herself from her daughter and takes a deep breath, she is beyond terrified of how Rufus is going to take what she is about to tell him.

Lily slowly walks downstairs; of course her husband is waiting for her on the couch. He is tapping his fingers against his thigh and polishing off his cup of coffee from earlier this morning.

"Hey, how did the appointment go? Do I need to be looking around for a third wife?" Rufus jokes, to lighten the mood. Lily chuckles,

"Wow, are you eager to get rid of me that quickly?"

"Seriously though Lil, is there a reason for me to be worried?" Lily bites her lip, she almost thinks it is a better idea not to tell him, but she doesn't want to lie to him about it either. She tucks her legs under her and faces him directly, weaving her fingers around his neck.

"Well…um…you might be because you and I are going to have another baby." Lily watches Rufus digest what she just told him, he fumbles with his emotions, but she prays that they end up in the same place.

Suddenly, a huge cheesy smile flourishes on Rufus' face; he can't believe this is happening.

"You're pregnant? How did you…?" Rufus breaks off, so excited that he can't even string words together. This is what he wanted, he could not be happier to be having another child with his wife. Lily admits that she wasn't as ecstatic as Rufus is when the doctor told her, but seeing him this overjoyed makes her reflect his emotion.

"I had a hunch and went with it. Honestly, I don't know how this is going to work out, but we are having another baby." Lily feels stupid when her eyes prick with tears for the second time today. Rufus uses his thumb to flick away a tear and then moves his hand to bring his lips to hers passionately.

"Yes we are," Rufus mumbles against her lips, blindly resting his hand over her flat stomach before kissing her again.

**A/N 2: TAH DAH! That is the end of my story; I really hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I loved writing it. I don't know if you guys want a sequel or if you prefer to leave it like it is. Let me know by reviewing and thanks so much for reading!**


End file.
